Pokemon Academy
by nE0nbLaCk13
Summary: Follow Justin and the characters of the Pokémon Universe through their adventures in Pokémon Academy , a top-level school specializing in teaching the young minds of today about battling, coordinating, and studying the mysterious creatures known as Pokémon! Adventure! Romance! Friendship! Angst! Rated M for future LEMONS!
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1: Arrival**

"We will be preparing to land shortly onto Pokémon Island, please fasten your seatbelts and prepare for landing."

** "**_**Finally"**_ Justin thought to himself. The plane ride took longer than he had expected and his whole body began to feel stiff from sitting for twelve hours. But, he knew things were only going to get better because he was going to Pokémon Academy. His hair was jet black and wavy, he was about 5'8 and still growing, he was still only 15. His black jacket and black pants grew warm with the sunlight that hit him through the window. His skin is brown and his eyes an even deeper shade of brown. He fiddled with his necklace which had a tooth from a Sharpedo he found in Undella Town's beach. He was too anxious to remain still. He still couldn't believe that he had been chosen to go to such a top-level school. He began to drift back to six months ago, when he first met that Scott person…

_"Jeez I'm nervous" he said. He looked down and saw that he was sweating and shaking._

_ "Don't worry, you got this." His dad said. He wanted to, needed to reassure his son. He had made it to the final round of the Aspertia City Tournament. It was his first time ever making it past the preliminary rounds and now here he was, about to enter the final round against one of his best friends. _

_ "Listen son I know what you're capable of, you've trained your team well over the past three months. Don't let yourself break now. You can do it." Justin's dad ruffled his wavy black hair and said, "Me and your mom will be cheering you on with rest of your friends from the stands." Justin felt reassured and was about to run out to the arena when his dad shouted back at him saying, "I can't wait for the __**whole damn city**__ to see what my boy can do." That's what killed all the confidence he had just mustered up. He couldn't perform well when under the eyes of so many spectators; he just barely managed to win during the semi-finals. He got lucky when his opponent, a very cocky trainer from Virbank City, started to gloat and flirt with a girl in the stands and Justin to finally mustered the courage to to give a command to his pokemon to knock out his opponent's strongest and final pokemon._

_ "I. Can. Do. This." With that he ran out of the locker room and onto the field. The sun hit his brown skin and after getting the glare out of his eyes he looked around the roaring crowd to try and find his family in the stands. He saw them and they waved and shouted raised signs that said "Go Justin!" and other cheesy ones. He sighed at his families' corniness when his opponent yelled,_

_ "HEY! Don't look so happy yet Justin, you still have to face me." His opponent in the finals was his best friend Nathan Black. Nathan wore a blue jacket with white shorts and his trademark visor that kept his wild hair from falling in his face. This is the other reason he felt so nervous, Nate was better than he was; Justin had never managed to beat him when they battled. Also, Nate worked well under pressure. Justin gulped and thought, _

"_**I'm screwed**__."_

_The referee took his position at the side of the field and said,_

"_This battle is the final match of the Aspertia City Tournament and is between Nathan Black and Justin Evoran and will be a three-on three match! Trainers are you ready?" Nate wasted no time getting his pokemon out._

"_Yep, Go Tranquil!" Out of the ball came an elegant bird pokemon that looked like a dove, but still slightly pigeon like_

"_L-let's go Gligar!" The purple flying scorpion emerged gliding straight for Tranquil without a command. "W-wait G-gligar!" The pokemon paid Justin no mind and went right into a Quick Attack. _

"_Tranquil dodge and then use Air Cutter!" The Tranquil dodged the attack easily and flapped its wings sending sharp blades of air towards Gligar. Justin was about to tell Gligar to dodge, but the words would not come out._

"_**No not now**__!" he thought. Gligar took the attack full force and fell to the ground. After struggling to think of what to do he said absentmindedly, "Gligar, Slash!"_

"_Gligar!" The pokemon exclaimed, lifting off the ground and dived right for Tranquil._

"_Tranquil use Wing Attack!" The bird pokemon chirped and soared with glowing wings._

_The two pokemon collided in midair and after they passed each other it was obvious who had won. Gligar plummeted down from the sky unconscious. Justin ran out to the middle of the field and caught his injured pokemon. _

"_I'm sorry Gligar, take a good rest." He recalled Gligar and went back to his side of the field. He was angry, no, furious that his silly fear made him too nervous to support his partners. He clenched his fist and called out his Scyther._

"_Scyther!" The green mantis pokemon was ready to battle! He knew that his Scyther was at type disadvantage, but Scyther had an ace in the hole….._

"_C'mon Justin, I know you can do better! Just focus on the battle and nothing else."_

_Nate was good friend. Even though that he was his opponent in the finals, he still tried to help him. Justin smiled and yelled to Nate,_

"_Don't worry I won't let you down!"_

"_That's the spirit! Tranquil use Aerial Ace!" The bird pokemon dove in at a remarkable speed._

_Justin was concentrating; nothing else was in his mind except the battle in front of him. Everything seemed to slow down when he concentrated like this he took his time and analyzed the situation. He didn't know what was happening, but it felt like he could take on the world._

"_**A counterattack would fail due to Tranquil's speed, but if I throw off its timing**__….."_

"_Scyther use Agility!" The mantis pokemon moved like a ghost, seemingly teleporting to the side. Nate's Tranquil was too far in the attack to change direction or stop. Nate knew Tranquil was now wide open to an attack from the back, so he went to recall Tranquil._

"_Tranquil return!"_

"_I was hoping you'd do that! Scyther use Pursuit!"_

_Scyther met the fleeing Tranquil nearly instantaneously. Scyther made a near invisible attack with its scythes and Tranquil fell unconscious before the beam of the pokeball could reach it._

"_What just happened!?" Nate was in complete shock! Justin knew this and was proud in his actions. His mind returned to the cheering crowd and he heard his family yell and cheer the loudest. _

"_Pursuit is a move that lets the attacker hit a retreating pokemon with double the damage!"_

_Nate laughed and reached for his next pokeball._

"_You know, I didn't see that coming at all. You've improved. Well, I won't let you beat me this easily, I worked hard to get here!"_

"_Same for me Nate." He could see Nate was ready to go all out now his eyes gleamed with the desire to win._

"_Go Krokorok!" Nate's second strongest pokemon was one Justin knew well. He's seen Nate train and battle with it numerous times and knew what its strengths and weaknesses were. "Krokorok use Dig!" _

"_Krok!" The desert crocodile burrowed under the ground and Justin knew what it was about to do. _

"_Scyther jump!" Krokorok emerged from the ground and had multiple rocks in its arms._

"_Krokorok, Rock Slide" Justin had already knew this was going to happen, this was Krokorok's signature combination. _

"_Scyther use Razor Wind!" Scyther launched multiple sharp blades of wind which sliced through the rocks cleanly and scored a direct hit onto Krokorok. Why did Nate use such a predictable strategy? _

" _Krokorok you okay?"_

"_Krok!" The pokemon was still standing firm and remained in place._

"_Scyther use Quick Attack!" While Scyther charged from the air, Krokorok still remained still. "__**Why hasn't Nate given Krokorok a command**__?" Justin was lost in thought. _

"_Krokorok use Stone Edge!"_

"_**Crap**__! __**Nate wanted to lure Scyther in so it could get point-blank hit!"**_

_The pointed stones hit Scyther hard and Justin knew Scyther was out, but its Quick Attack still connected. Both pokemon fell to the ground, taking too much damage to remain standing. Both trainers returned their pokemon and looked at each other._

"_So now it's one-on-one, eh Justin?" Nate looked deadly serious now and the audience fell silent._

"_Yep. I suppose you know who I'm going to send out don't you?"_

"_And you know I'm going to choose to I'm guessing."_

_Both trainers threw their pokeballs._

"_Go Servine!" _

"_Go Dewott!"_

_Justin's Dewott was at a distinct type advantage, but he didn't care. He knew his Dewott wanted to face Nates Servine again. Those two pokemon, like their trainers, had a friendly rivalry. Both wanted show their respective trainers their full potential. _

"_Dewott, Razor Shell_

"_Servine,Leaf Blade!"_

_Both pokemon focused all their available powers to their respective attacks, both of them were planning to end it with just one strike. Dewott charged forward with its shells emitting a blue aura that resembled a blade and Servine with its tail glowing a verdant green which now looked like a sword._

_Both attacks hit at the same time, none saw any of the strikes connect. They remained still after they crossed each other. Dewott fell to a knee, struggling to remain standing,  
_

"_Dewott hang in there!" Justin was worried about his partner. His first pokemon was always willing to help him no matter what. He wanted to win this tournament for his pokemon just as much as he wanted to win it personally._

_Servine appeared unscathed and smile feeling victorious._

"_Servine lets end this! Leaf Blade!" Nate was triumphant and Justin could only feel disappointed to have come so far and have lost. Nate's Servine took a step forward, but suddenly a surprised look was in its eyes._

"_S-servine?" Nate looked worried about his partner._

"_Ser-ser-vine…." Servine collapsed unconscious, a long cut at its side._

_The referee took his flags out and said to the audience,_

"_Servine is unable to battle! The winner of the match and of the Aspertia City Tournament is Justin Evoran and Dewott!"_

_The crowd roared with applause and Dewott crossed its arms and smiled at his trainer, but was confused as to why he was trembling, hadn't they just won?_

"_Wott?' Dewott approached its trainer and looked up and was surprised to see that he was tearing up._

_Justin couldn't stop shaking, he was too happy. He looked down at Dewott and said,_

"_We did partner! We won!" He was too into his personal celebration that he didn't notice Nate walk up towards him. He extended his hand and said quietly,_

"_Congrats Justin."_

"_You aren't mad at me?" This took Nate by surprise. He even looked a little hurt._

"_No! Well I am mad….but not at you. It's myself I'm mad at. I wasn't bringing out my team's full potential. You beat me fair and square. Well you better get going over to the awards table; I heard that the surprise is a rare pokemon." With that Nate playfully pushed Justin in the direction of the awards table._

_Alder, the previous pokemon champion from two years ago, approached Justin with a pokeball in his hands. _

"_Justin! You have displayed here today that you and your pokemon are some of the strongest Aspertia City has to offer!" There was a large cheer from the crowd, Justin could see his family over Alder's shoulder, His dad was also tearing up and his mom had the look of pure pride on her face. He could see her mouth the words, "That's my boy."_

"_I present to you Justin, this rare pokemon!" Alder released the pokemon and out of it came an Eevee. "Take it and raise it with the same care and respect you have shown your other pokemon."_

_His celebration lasted a while and he and his family were about to leave the arena. It was close to midnight and everyone was beat from today. Justin told his family that he needed to use the restroom so he went to the nearest one he could find. He was about to open the door when a rather large man with curly brown hair, shorts, sunglasses, and a turquoise Hawaiian print approached him. _

"_Congrats on the win today Justin." He sounded like he knew Justin personally and quite frankly; this made Justin a bit nervous._

"_Thanks uhhhh….." He didn't want to sound rude, but he didn't want to be too friendly either._

"_My name is Scott; it's a pleasure to meet you." He extended his hand and Justin shook it reluctantly. _

"_So, uh, Scott not to be rude but…."_

"_Let me guess… You're wondering why I'm here. Well you see I'm on the lookout for talented trainers, so I came here to Unova to scout. I happened to see a poster advertising this tournament so I decided to check it out. You've got some serious talent young man, You and your pokemon have what it takes so I've decided to make you a proposition."_

"_What kind of proposition?" Justin asked a little more eagerly than he meant to. He had never been praised for his battle prowess before by a complete stranger before._

"_I want to personally invite you to Pokémon Academy, the number one school for sharpening your skills and learning all about our companions, pokemon!"_

_Justin's jaw dropped. He was being invited to Pokémon Academy? Him? He always wanted to go there! It was like a dream come true, but then reality hit him. Would his parents allow him to go there?_

"_So what's your answer Justin? Ready to sign up?" He had a large grin and an expectant face._

_Justin wanted to say yes, but he had to talk to his parents first. It took him an immense amount of willpower to not say yes. Scott must have been a salesman in the past because his offer definitely sounded like something a salesman would say._

"_I…..have to ask my parents first." He thought Scott would look disappointed, but he still had that same happy face._

"_Of course. This is a big decision after all," He dug into his pocket and pulled out a card, "This is my number. Call me as soon as you have your answer, but don't wait too long, I'm leaving in three days."_

"_Son what's taking you so long?!" His dad sounded worried._

"_I've got to go, but I'll definitely have an answer for you…._

"We have now landed in Pokémon Island Airport; you may grab your belongings and exit the plane. Have a safe tip and thank you for flying Mistralton Airlines."

Justin grabbed his things and luggage and went to the airport's Pokémon Center to retrieve his team. He had sent them by using the PokeTransfer Machine in the Aspertia center. He had heard of pokemon being stolen from trainer's luggage numerous times and didn't want to take that risk. He walked outside and released his teammates. He pointed straight ahead of him and said,

"Guys…..WE'RE HERE!"

There it was a shimmering, sparkling center of learning…. He had arrived at Pokémon Academy.

**W00t! My first EVER fanfiction chapter complete! Thanks to you guys who read this! Please rate, review, and share! I had this idea last week and just had to put it all together. Leave suggestions for students, professors, supporting characters, and how to improve my story! I promise that you guys will enjoy reading this and I will try to upload as much as I possibly can and try to create a schedule, but for now updates will be a little random. Check in next week as I have a TON of free time, so I should be able to upload probably three chapters. And to all you haters out there…. Feel free to hate, because it just makes me stronger. N-Black, out.**


	2. Chapter 2

** Hey guys, N-Black is back with a new chapter for you! Once again, I'd like to thank you guys for reading and following this story. It means a lot to me and I hope that I can deliver some good material. Well you guys must be tired of my BORING author's notes, so here's the chapter! Enjoy.**

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN POKÉMON NOR DO I OWN NINTENDO. ALL CHARACTERS ARE THEIR PROPERTY. I ONLY OWN THE OC'S AND PLOT!**

**Chapter 2: Welcome to Pokémon Academy!**

Justin took in a deep breath and exhaled. He was here at last. He could scarcely believe it, despite the fact that he was staring straight at it. He glanced around looking for other possible students. Some were with families, obviously on vacation. Pokémon Island is not only the home Pokémon Academy, but a resort, amusement parks, malls, labs in the forests, and wild pokemon refuges. Pokémon Island was made by some company in Hoenn. Apparently it was the company that made the Pokenav, a device similar to Justin's Xtransceiver. He wondered what it must be like inside the campus, it was most likely filled with state-of-the-art- technology. The island wasn't connected to the campus and Justin was pondering how the students were going to reach the island when the airport intercom buzzed.

"Any and all students attending Pokémon Academy should report to the docks as soon as possible. The ferry will leave in 20 minutes."

So they were going by boat, not quite what he thought of, but Justin always had a vivid imagination. He honestly thought that a bridge would come and connect itself to the main island. Slightly disappointed, he trudged onward to the lower docks and looked around him and saw possible students. Many were talkative and giddy with excitement. He had heard that the Academy accepted only the most talented and gifted trainers to take part in tis curriculum. Most of these people probably came from an elitist background. The dock's intercom made a chiming sound and announced that the ferry would be leaving in 10 minutes and that passengers were allowed to board now. He grabbed his things and made his way into the boarding line. He took out the pass that had been given to him by Scott and flashed it in front of the security officer's face. He let him on and he was stunned by what he saw. If this was a ferry, then his house was a mansion. The boat looked like a five star cruise liner, just more compact. He made his way up onto the deck of the ship and gazed at the deep blue water of the ocean.

"Final boarding call for Pokémon Academy."

He stood at the front of the ship and continued to gaze at the sea… He always loved the ocean. He decided that the ocean was one of the most beautiful things in the world when he visited Undella Town. The waves rolled over the glistening white sands, and sea pokemon could be seen underneath the surface. He had found a baby his first partner, Oshawott , there. The boat gave a loud blast from its horn and began to move.

"Now departing for Pokémon Academy. Please sit back and relax, we will be arriving in 30 minutes."

The boat moved slowly at first but began to pick up speed. He was enjoying the sea breeze blowing against his face. He closed his eyes and smelt the briny scent the sea gave off. He was so into his trance that he did not notice a boy walking up behind him.

"Enjoying the view?"

Justin opened his eyes and looked to his left and saw another boy standing next to him. The boy wore a yellow and black jacket and black shorts. He also donned a cap in the same color of his jacket that was flipped around so that some of his black hair came out of the opening.

"Yeah, just relaxing."

"I can't believe I'm going to Pokémon Academy man!" The boy seemed to be glowing with excitement.

"Same here, it's like a dream come true."

"What do you think will happen when we get there?"

Justin was a little taken aback by the boy's openness and outgoing personality. Most people tended to avoid him. He was not what you call, "popular." His style seemed to make others uncomfortable around him. His all black clothing conveyed a less than cheerful persona, but he really was a nice person if you knew him. He only had three people back at Aspertia City he could call friends and they were Nate Black, Hugh Grey, and Rosa White. The boy didn't seem to mind Justin not answering his question and just continued to grin out towards the sea. Justin had no idea what was going to happen when he got to the academy. He had been trying to work out possible scenarios that could happen, but eventually stopped and decided to wait till when he got there. The boy turned and faced Justin again and asked,

"So where do you come from?"

"I came from Aspertia City in Unova. What about you?"

"I came from New Bark Town in Johto."

"Johto huh? I heard it's nice down there."

"Yeah, but a little dull after a while, I wanted a change in scenery. How's Aspertia City?"

"Nice, but terribly quiet for a city. One might think more would go on in a city."

The ferry's intercom chimed in just like the dock's intercom and said,

"Attention all passengers, attention all passengers. The ferry is about to land at Pokémon Academy, please collect your personal belongings and prepare to dock."

The boy in yellow stretched out and said,

"Well I better get my stuff, nice meeting you. Oh what's your name?"

"I'm Justin Evoran, and you?"

"I'm Ethan. Ethan Gold. I'll see you when we dock." The boy waved farewell and dashed under the deck to retrieve his things. Justin didn't think he would make any friends, but out of the blue someone just struck up a conversation with him.

"**Maybe this won't be so bad." **He grabbed his bags and made his way to the exit. The main room of the ferry was ridiculously crowded and he kept bumping into people. He didn't like crowded spaces, they made him feel vulnerable. He felt the ship finally stop moving and heard the gangplank fall. The doors opened and the students poured out of the ship. Justin made it outside and saw the campus up close. The school did in fact look like a lab. The glass windows allowed Justin to look inside and see parts of what appeared to be the main hall. It was very similar to photos he has seen of the Marvelous Bridge in Unova. He looked up above and saw the school's coat of arms, the legendary pokemon Ho-oh with its wings around a pokeball and underneath it was a banner saying in the ancient Unknown language, "Learning to Unify." He looked behind him and saw Ethan running towards him.

"Hey Justin! Nice place."

Justin was about to speak, but was cut off when the sound of a helicopter appeared.

"**A helicopter? I wonder who's in it**?" Justin gazed upon the aircraft as it approached.

The helicopter landed and out of it came a girl accompanied by a man who Justin guessed was her father. The girl was pale, thin, and had short blonde hair that stopped at her neck. She wore black leggings and a yellow vest that had black strips connecting it together. The vest showed some of her skin as it alternated between fabric and skin. She also had earphones that were blue on the left and red on the right. She saw the girl's father say something to her, but could not hear what he said. The girl turned and he saw her eyes. They were an icy blue color and he swore he has seen her before. He kept pondering who she was when she heard a girl in the crowd shriek,

"OH MY ARCEUS! THAT'S ELESA THE SUPERMODEL!"

At this statement nearly all the students rushed to where she was. Now Justin knew where he saw her. He's seen her on TV whenever his sister was on it. She was only 15, but a very popular model. He had heard rumors that Elesa was also a talented trainer, but he never believed them until now. She must have talent to have gotten here. He had to admit she was very attractive, and he was sure that the guys trying to get her attention would agree. However even under all the attention she was receiving, she seemed completely indifferent. Her face portrayed neither happiness nor nervousness.

"ELESA I'M YOUR BIGGEST FAN!"

"MARRY ME ELESA!"

"YOU'RE AN INSPRIRATION TO GIRLS EVERYWHWERE!"

She maybe famous, but that doesn't mean that Justin would bow at her feet. He looked at Ethan and asked,

"What do you think Ethan?"

Ethan looked very confused about the events transpiring before him.

"Who is she? Is she important or something?"

Justin sweat dropped and thought to himself,

"**Ethan is either just trying to make a joke or he actually is as dense as a Gigalith.**"

Out of the crowd came another girl with red hair tied up on top and with some left to dangle at the sides of her head. She wore a blue jacket with long sleeves that showed off her belly and blue short shorts. She was tan and had a smile on her face.

"Elesa you're here! I thought you didn't want to come here."

For the first time since he saw her, Justin saw a smile appear on her face. The two girls hugged.

"**They must be old friends." **Justin thought.

"Skyla! How good to see you. I decided to come. After all, a lot is expected of me and I need to live up those expectations." Her voice was very professional. She must be putting it on for her father since he seemed very happy that his daughter said that. There were more comments from the crowd especially from the guys.

"Damn! Who is she?"

"Look at those shorts!"

There was an assortment of comments and catcalling. Where Elesa was totally calm and collected, Skyla was blushing and saying these like, "Oh stop it!" and "You are too kind!" All the commotion made Justin not realize that someone had come out of the Academy. The man cleared his throat and turned on a megaphone. The man was in a lab coat, had matted black hair that was graying, and had glasses on.

"Excuse me!"

The sudden appearance of this man was enough to get the silence of the large group.

"If you would follow me, I will escort you all to the auditorium."

The man began to walk off and the students followed closely behind. Justin went at the end of the line because of his slight claustrophobia and walked along with Ethan. The group came through the main hall and everyone did the customary "ooo's and aww's" at what they were seeing. There was advanced technology and classrooms everywhere. The beautifully polished marble floor showed everyone's faces. In the center of the main hall, there was a fountain that had upon it five statues: A male and female trainer, Nidoran of both genders, and a large pokeball between them. The group stopped at a very large set of doors which must lead to the auditorium. Justin was sure that there was much more too see, but wasn't able to keep going.

"The auditorium is just through here." Their guide slid in a key card and the massive doors slowly came apart. When the doors slid apart, Justin saw what must have been at least three thousand students already seated. Their guide took them to an empty section close the front of the stage in front of the auditorium. Upon the stage Justin could see a podium and took a guess that they were going to be formally welcomed to the school. Ethan sat next to Justin and e looked like he was going to explode out of sheer joy.

"This is it Justin! We're finally going to meet Professor Oak!"

Justin knew who he was. Professor Oak is not only the headmaster of Pokémon Academy, but he was also one the world's leading experts on pokemon. He is famous for all the contributions he has made into learning about pokemon.

The whole auditorium was bustling with excitement until an older man, most likely in his sixties walked across the stage and to the podium. The whole building was quelled the moment this man stepped onto the stage. The man had brown slacks with a belt, a fuchsia shirt, and was draped with a lab coat. He smiled the way a grandpa smiles at his grandchildren. His hair was gray and slightly spiky in the front.

"Welcome students! Welcome to one of the greatest institutions in the world to hone your mind and sharpen your skills. I welcome you to, Pokémon Academy!"

There was a thunderous applause following the professor's introduction.

"Here at this school, we accept only the best to partake in our programs. You were all chosen for specific reasons. You all have something special in you all. My colleagues and I are here to help you develop that special something and turn it into a career. Most importantly, you will learn all about our partners, pokemon!"

Another wave of applause came as he paused.

"Pokémon and human beings are forever linked together. At times we work together, others we battle. I've spent the last forty years studying pokemon and I have learned much from them, as will all of you. Today is a wonderful day because we welcome fresh new minds into our halls. From the strong, to the weak, from the famous, and the common person. I, Samuel Oak, professor and Headmaster, personally welcome all of you to Pokémon Academy! May we learn to unify!"

He raised his arms the same way a preacher would and at the end of the speech, the auditorium bellowed with applause. Justin was impressed with their headmaster. He was definitely the right man for the job.

"Our welcoming feast will begin in just half-an-hour so you may all visit the habitat enclosure that is right outside the auditorium I shall have a staff member escort you." The same man that escorted them before took the even larger group outside.

"Oh! I almost forgot! Please refrain from battling in the habitat enclosure. It is a place where pokemon relax and where various lessons take place."

Justin soon realized that the campus was very large indeed. The area that they just entered nearly matched the size of the airport on the main island. There were grassy meadows, a dense forest, an arid wasteland, a marsh, a river, a lake, and large basin full of seawater. It truly was a habitat enclosure. Justin and Ethan made their way through the habitat enclosure, admiring the way the habitats were constructed.

"This is incredible…"

Ethan was silently observing the habitat enclosure, looking form the meadows to the forests.

"Hey we should let our pokemon out and let them see where they'll be hanging out."

"Sounds like a plan"

Both trainers released their respective pokemon and gave them the lay of the land. Justin released his Dewott, Gligar, Scyther, and Eevee. Ethan sent out his Quilava, Beedril, Phanpy, and his Pidgeotto. Ethan looked at Justin's Eevee with excitement.

"Wow an Eevee! These are rare even in Johto! Where'd you get it?"

Eevee puffed out its chest with pride and Justin scratched it behind its ears.

"I got Eevee for winning the Aspertia City Tournament six months ago."

"What do you plan on evolving it into?"

Justin stopped and pondered this for a while.

"I won't make it evolve into anything. What Eevee wants to turn into is its choice, not mine."

Ethan looked like he was going to ask another question when Justin stopped him.

"Hold that thought Ethan."

Justin looked behind him and saw a red haired boy holding a smaller boy by the collar of his shirt. The redhead looked angry and kept the shorter boy suspended a few inches off the ground while said,

"What a weak looking pokemon!"

Justin looked next to redhead and saw a small pokemon with what appeared to be a green hat and red horns protruding from it. The "hat" covered the pokemon's eyes and the body of it was wrapped in what looked like a pure white sheet. The pokemon's eyes may not be visible, but Justin knew that it was afraid. Justin tried to remember what kind of pokemon this was and figure out that it was a Ralts. Justin remembered from a documentary on pokemon from Hoenn that Ralts could feel the emotions of others through the horn on its head. This Ralts was likely sensing the hostility of the redhead and the fear of its trainer. Justin hated bullies and by the expression on Ethan's face, Justin knew that the feeling was mutual. Justin walked forward and yelled at the redhead.

"HEY! PUT HIM DOWN!"

The redhead turned his head around to look at Justin and simply chuckled.

"Mind your own business."

"Put him down! I won't say it again!"

"And what are you going to do if I don't?"

Ethan was next to Justin and said,

"Don't you see your also hurting that pokemon?" The red head looked down at the cowering Ralts and scoffed.

"That Ralts is feeling your emotions as well as its trainers. Are you just you just going to stand there and watch it suffer?"

The red haired boy was now laughing hysterically. He dropped the boy and turned to face Justin and Ethan. The scene they were making was already bringing people to watch what was happening. The boy had stormy gray eyes and wore a black jacket that had thin red stripes on the sleeves. He wore blue cargo pants and had plastered onto his face a cocky grin.

"A pokemon feeling emotions? Ha! Simple tools aren't capable of feeling emotions." He talked as if the pair of them were little children who had just came up with some incredulous story. At these words, Justin nearly leaped forward, but restrained the urge to punch the mysterious boy at the last second.

"Pokémon are not tools of war! They're our friends and companions"

"Such ideals are the focus of a weak person who has no idea what the true meaning of strength is. Love and caring are useless! The only things of value in this world are powerful things!" The red haired boy pointed down at the boy trying to comfort his Ralts. "Everything else is garbage."

Justin and Ethan were seething with anger and the red haired boy simply smiled. The crowd had done nothing to stop this person's rant. It was always like this, at the trainer's school in Aspertia, whenever there was a fight, people just watched, no one went to get help, no one tried to stop it. The crowd simply watched, some even recorded it on their Xtranceivers and talked about it like it was some kind of show.

"If you really believe I'm wrong, then battle me and prove it." The redhead tossed a pokeball idly up and down as he waited for a response. Ethan stepped forward with a pokeball in his hand, but Justin stopped him with his arm.

"Justin?" Ethan turned and looked at him. Justin had a certain fire in his eyes, the kind of fire that was the most dangerous to be around. Ethan understood and backed down. Justin stepped forward and the redhead attempted to taunt him.

"Looks like we have a hero ladies and gentlemen." Some of the crowd chuckled at this, but most were focused on the upcoming battle. Justin knew that he may get in trouble for battling in the habitat enclosure, but if that meant he could put this guy in his place he didn't care.

"Dewott!" Justin's Dewott walked from the pond it was relaxing in and had the same look in its eyes as Justin did.

"Croconaw!" The red haired boy threw his pokeball and out of it came a crocodilelike pokemon with three pronged shark fins on its head and back. Its skin was a turquoise color and it had a large mouth with sharp teeth. The redhead made the first move.

"Croconaw use Water Gun!"

"Dodge it Dewott and use Water Pulse!" Dewott deftly dodged the jet of water and charged a sphere of water in its palms and launched it at the Croconaw.

"Dodge it!" Croconaw attempted to dodge the incoming attack, but was too slow. The water sphere exploded with a heavy amount of force and blew Croconaw back a few feet.

"Worthless pokemon!" The crocodile pokemon got back onto its feet and readied itself once more.

"You even insult your own pokemon?" Justin's stage fright wasn't bothering him right now. He worked on getting over it during the last six months, but still had issues. Justin was too concerned about winning this battle and showing this stranger that he was wrong.

"It's still weak. I need to be harsh on it otherwise it will never grow to become strong. Croconaw use Bite!" The pokemon charged forth obediently with its jaws open.

"Dewott use Razor Shell!" The shells on Dewott's legs were drawn like lightning and glowed with energy. The red haired boy realized that his pokemon was at distinct speed disadvantage and tried to stop his Croconaw from attacking but was too late. Dewott struck fast and landed a large blow onto Croconaw. Croconaw skidded across the ground behind Dewott and was stopped by a large boulder.

"Get up! NOW!" The red haired boy seemed borderline furious at what was happening. This is obviously not what he had in mind.

"Dewott, Aqua Jet!" Dewott sprung forward like a bullet, its body encased in water.

"Croconaw use Ice Fang!" The pokemon stood back up slowly and opened its jaws. Its teeth were now glowing blue and Justin could see the vapor of the cold air emanating from them. Dewott attempted to dodge mid-attack, but was grazed by one of the fangs. Dewott landed and its left arm was half encased in ice. "Croconaw use Head-butt!" The crocodile charged forward with its head out.

"Dewott get out of the way!" Dewott attempted to move, but the weight of the ice slowed it considerably. Croconaw's Head-butt landed successfully and launched Dewott back.

"Dewott you okay?"

"W-Wott!" The pokemon's voice was shaky, but it gained its composure quickly. Both these pokemon took a substantial amount of damage, but neither was willing to give up. Justin didn't understand why this Croconaw was pushing itself so hard for a trainer that obviously did not care about its wellbeing.

"This is where it ends. I'll show you that power is everything! Croconaw use Aqua Tail!" The blue crocodile's tail was encased in a torrent of water, it charged forward and Justin commanded Dewott to counter.

"Dewott use Razor Shell!" Once again, Dewott seized its shells and had them glowing with blue energy. The two pokemon charged each other. The crowd was watching with great focus, some were cheering and others were booing, to who these cheers and jeers were sent to, Justin did not know nor did he care. He wanted to show this trainer that pokemon were not tools of war, they were forever, and will always be his friends, because pokemon are the reason he is still alive today…

The two pokemon were right into their attacks reach and were about to collide…

"Aggron, Roar!" There was an earsplitting roar and then Dewott and Croconaw were each sent to their pokeballs. Both trainers and their spectators were befuddled till they looked at in the direction the roar came from.

"Weren't you told not to battle in the habitat enclosure?" A man with bluish-silver hair, wearing a black suit with two purple zigzag patterns going down from where his shoulders started and down to the end of the top piece of the suit, he also wore two silver rings on his left hand and was accompanied by a large steel-clad pokemon. The pokemon was completely coated in steel armor and had menacing blue eyes along with two steel horns that protruded from its armored head.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk children. You should listen to directions." Justin knew this man, but not his name. He knew he was important to the island somehow.

"Follow me you two. The rest of you, please head on inside. The feast will begin shortly."

Ethan gave Justin a reassuring smile and head off with the rest of the group.

"Now you two will head over to the Headmaster's office. I'll make sure you receive a true welcome into the academy."

**Oh damn the second chapter is D-O-N-E! Justin has officially been introduced into Pokémon Academy and has already gotten into trouble. How will the situation develop? As always, thanks for reading my story, it means a lot that you guys are reading and enjoying the story. However I'd like to know what you liked about it specifically. So send in those reviews so I can see what you like OR don't like. Feel free to leave suggestions for plot development, character roles, and if you want, send in a profile of your own OC. Just be sure to give me their appearance, personality, and their team, PLEASE DON'T PUT LEGENDARIES INTO YOUR OC'S TEAM! I want to get you guys involved with the story. It helps me become a better writer and that helps me give you guys an overall better story. Once again, thanks for reading & reviewing. N-Black out. **


	3. Chapter 3

** nE0n is back with a new chapter for ya! First off, I'd like to give a shout out to Carlos-Sama, Tbroome535, and aggies2015 for submitting their OC'S to me and for reviewing the story. I am really happy that you guys are reading the story and enjoying it. I've been getting lots of positive feedback and I have decided to start a forum. The forum is called Pokémon Academy (Y U HAVE NO ORIGINALITY!) and it's a forum dedicated to improving each other's stories and helping with characters and plot development. We can spitball ideas and who knows? One of us might just get inspired to write a masterpiece… Well without further ado, here's chapter three! **

** Chapter 3: The Murkrow is Watching You!**

"**Damn it" **Justin had just gotten onto the island and he was already in trouble. That man in** the **suit had said that they would be, "properly welcomed to the academy." Whatever he meant it must not be good…

"Ahh the young these days. Never pay any mind to what is said to them, you just dash of towards your next destination without thinking of what will happen on the way there." Justin didn't quite care for this man's attitude. He was speaking to him like he was a five year-old. Justin hated being scolded in such a manner. It spat on every part of his pride. He was going to talk back at him, but he was in enough trouble as it was. The boy he was battling against was ludicrously silent.

"**For someone with such a big mouth, he sure is quiet.**" Maybe he had the same feeling of dread that Justin was feeling, maybe he was thinking about an excuse to weasel his way out of punishment, or he was just trying to act tough. The silver haired man led them to an elevator with a see through compartment. The man punched in the floor they were heading to and the elevator moved upward. Apparently, the people who designed Pokémon Academy obviously wanted to show off their work. The elevator's see through casing let Justin see many other different facilities. Some contained students at work in their classrooms and some were battling. The elevator ride lasted a long while and Justin as wondering just how high they were. Including his stage fright, Justin also was slightly afraid of heights. Much to Justin's relief, the elevator stopped at the top most floor. The man walked out and knocked on the on a door that had emblazoned on it a brass plate that said

"_**Professor Samuel Oak, Headmaster of Pokémon Academy**_"

The door itself was not at all technologically advanced. It was a simple wooden door with a brass knob that just seemed so out of place with the rest of the school. A voice responded from within the room ahead and Justin could hear footsteps coming up to the door. The door opened slightly and Justin could see the kind eyes of Professor Oak.

"Steven! What a surprise! I had no idea you were coming today, I would have set out a proper greeting had I known."

So the man's name was Steven. Justin still did not see why he was important to the island.

"That's quite okay Samuel. I do not require such things to be comfortable."

The door was now wide open and Professor Oak was inviting Steven inside, but stopped abruptly when he saw Justin and the redhead standing outside. His smile faded and his face had the look of great disappointment. It was one thing to anger your Headmaster before you were actually a part of the academy's student body, and it was another to disappoint him. Justin felt that disappointment was worse than a scolding any day of the week. Not only does the person tell you that what you did was wrong, but they also make you feel two times as worse than you did previously. The office was simple, a lot like the kind of office a regular school principal would have.

"Fighting in the habitat enclosure?" Steven nodded and Professor Oak let out a sigh. "Have a seat you two." He gesture to two wooden chairs and sat in his. Steven watched from corner of the room and Justin saw no emotion in his face. "Boys, all I can say is…" Justin was clenching the bottom of the seat with until his knuckles turned white and he could see his fellow troublemaker adversary gulp. This brought some satisfaction to Justin, knowing that the volcano head boy was also afraid of what was going to come, but it still didn't change the fact that Justin was still afraid as well. "All I can is… how was the battle?" This statement caused a stunned silence to wash over the room. "Come on, don't be so quiet! Tell me what happened!" The professor's expression was now one of eagerness.

"Professor, not that I'm criticizing your methods, but do you think that asking them how the battle, which was prohibited by your word, went is a good way to punish these boys?" Steven looked confused, as did Justin and volcano head.

Professor Oak let out a long hearty laugh and turned to a not amused Steven and said,

"Oh Steven stop being so uptight! I'm simply asking how their battle was. Wouldn't you want to battle after flying on a plane for twelve hours?"

"But professor! You said yourself that battles are not authorized in the habitat enclosure to do it being as much as classroom as a place for pokemon to relax!" Justin couldn't believe that the professor wasn't kicking them out the window of his office right now.

"Oh it's alright; I mean there wasn't any major damage to the any of the areas. But if it makes you happy Steven, I'll tell them that they shouldn't do it again. Understand boys?"

Both Justin and volcano head nodded vigorously in agreement.

"I hardly think that is a worthy punishment…."

"You said something Steven?" Justin couldn't tell if the professor was trying to annoy Steven, or was genuinely asking a question.

"N-Nothing um… Samuel. If you don't mind I will take my leave, there is business I need to, uh, attend to." Steven walked swiftly from the office and went into the elevator and disappeared from sight.

The professor sighed and turned to the two boys/

"That doesn't surprise me… anyways boys don't mind Steven, he's a very cautious person. But he have a point, you shouldn't have been battling in the enclosure. I'll let you off the hook this time boys, but do try not to get into trouble anymore today. Now is there anything else you'd wish to tell me while you're here?" Justin was going to tell Professor Oak the entire story of how he had ended up battling, but something made him not speak. It was if the words were sucked out of his thoughts. It couldn't be his stage fright, it made no sense. But Justin quickly understood what the feeling was. It was primal and Justin knew that deep down, he wanted to deal with this boy himself.

"No sir." Justin had said this without thinking and went back to sort out his feelings about this whole situation.

"What about you young man? You've been awfully quiet."

"No questions."

"Alright you two, you'd better head on down to the cafeteria, its down on the base floor, right next to the auditorium." The two boys were about to leave when the professor called back at them.

"May I ask your names?"

"I'm Justin Evoran professor."

"What about you young man?"

Volcano head remained silent and quietly said,

"I'd rather not say."

"That's okay. Have a good meal and once again, welcome to the academy!" The professor closed the door of his office and the two boys entered the elevator and rode down in silence. The elevator door opened and the pair walked down to the cafeteria. Justin observed the interior and saw many tables and a long buffet like line of gourmet food. The cafeteria was an astounding three levels high and held all the students of Pokémon Academy and then some. Justin looked beside him and saw that he was standing alone; the volcano head boy was already a far ways off and was only visible because of his hair. Justin scanned the tables for any sign of Ethan and saw a few tables away. He walked down the tables and picked up on some of the other student's conversations.

"Look there he is now…"

"Thinks he's a big shot doesn't he."

"Shut up dude he's right there!"

People were talking about him behind his back. He had already become slightly famous in his own regard. Still, he didn't like to have rumors about him circulate around the campus. He reached Ethan and took a seat next to him. Ethan turned with his eyes closed and said,

"If you want to know what happened to him, ask him yourself when he gets here, I won't…" Ethan opened his eyes to see a very confused looking Justin. "How bad was it?" Ethan looked at Justin as if someone in his family had died.

"I didn't get into trouble at all."

"REALLY?!" Ethan's reply was mixed with excitement, astonishment, and confusion.

"Yep, he just asked us what the battle was like and told us not to do it again."

"Well, your battle has started up some conversations. You're the talk of the school right now!"

"I don't like this… all this attention makes me feel uncomfortable."

"Those guys will forget about it soon enough."

Justin was thankful for Ethan's reassurance, but had an ominous feeling that his time in the spotlight wasn't going to end soon…

**8:00 PM **

The students of Pokémon Academy went up the elevators to go their rooms. Professor Oak had announced over the intercom that the students will got to their respective rooms and meet their counselor. Justin had taken out Scott's package and pulled out a room key form within in it. Justin submitted his paperwork to the main office and received his key and room number. He was going to be staying on the third floor in room C-15. Ethan was one of his three roommates. Ethan was ecstatic to say the least. Justin headed down the hallway of the third floor. The dormitories were separate and were shaped as square towers. The towers were each thirteen floors high and were all linked to the main campus.

"Well this is it Ethan." Justin slid the room key into the slide and the door unlocked. They stepped into the room and were absolutely shocked by what they saw. Just like the ferry that brought them here, the room was much like the kind you would find in a five star hotel somewhere in Castelia City. The room was painted white and had lights that turned on when you walked close to them. The bathroom was pristine and Justin soon realized that the room was probably half the size of his own home! They walked further along and saw three beds, one of which was occupied by a large person. He appeared to be sleeping and so the boys walked slowly, as to not wake up their other roommate. The boys set their things down on the other two beds and began to converse in hushed whispers.

"I wonder who he is?"

"I'll check his luggage tag and see."

Justin crept up to the other boy's bag and gently picked up the tag. The tag said the boy's name was Carlos Del Grove. Justin stood up, and as he did the floorboard creaked. The sleeping boy behind him opened his eyes and delivered a right hook to Justin's face.

"Thief! Burglar! Criminal!"

The boy looked through his messy black hair and saw in front of him a terrified boy in a yellow jacket and the boy he just punched rubbing his left cheek.

"Ow…"

"Sorry dude, you took me by surprise. I thought you were a thief.' He extended his arm and Justin grabbed it. He pulled him up easily as if he were a rag doll. The boy looked manlier than Justin expected. He had messy black hair, slightly tanned skin, and was at least 6'4. The boy was already in his black boxers and a tank top wearing some black fingerless gloves. Justin would be intimidated of the person in front of him if it weren't for his goofy grin that did not seem to match his stern looking eyes.

"It's okay, my name is Justin Evoran."

"I'm Ethan Gold."

` "Nice to meet you guys, I'm Carlos Del Grove."

Justin already knew that, but wasn't going to say how since Carlos would probably think he was a creeper.

"Well I was wondering who my roommates were going to be. I hoped that it would be some cute girls, but…"

That was the reason the towers were separate. Ethan and Carlos were chatting idly about the day's events while Justin looked at all his things. He looked through all his possessions and saw that he was missing his Sharpedo tooth necklace. How had he lost it?

**Shortly after the welcoming feast…**

_Justin washed his hands and looked at himself in the mirror. _

_ "It's been a looonnng day." He wiped his face with a towel and went to leave the bathroom. What he failed to notice however his Sharpedo tooth necklace had fell to the ground after coming off his neck when he had wiped his face…_

"Guys, I have to go to the bathroom and find my necklace."

"You left it down there?"

"Yeah, I'll be back."

Carlos stretched out and yawned.

"You better hurry man, curfews at nine 'o'clock."

Justin made his way down to the main building and went to the cafeteria. The door was slightly open and Justin guessed that a janitor was in there. He sneaked past the janitor undetected and made it to the bathroom. He looked everywhere for his necklace, but just couldn't find it. He looked up at the clock and saw that it was 9:05. Justin decided to go back to his room before he was caught. He reached for the door handle and heard a clink noise at the window up above. Justin looked closely and saw that his necklace was there! He opened the window and saw that his necklace was moving up. Justin couldn't tell what was moving it but he got up to the roof by climbing a small tree. He saw what was carrying his necklace. A Murkrow hopped away toward a nearby tree and scaled it quickly.

"Oh great." Justin climbed the tall tree and saw the Murkrow dangling his necklace over his head tauntingly. Justin nearly had it when the bird fluttered away to a nearby window sill. The bird quickly pulled away the curtains to reveal a short haired blonde in nothing but a towel. Justin's eyes bulged out of his head and the girl jumped when she saw him and screamed,

"PERVERT!"

Justin jumped out of the tree and ran to his room as fast as he could. He opened the room door and snuck into his bed and drifted off to sleep. He knew there was going to be more trouble for him…

**Yeah Chapter 3 done! Thx for reading you guys! So, Justin has just been caught peeping when he really wasn't! How will things develop? Review and send in those OCS people. New chapter coming on Wednesday! N-Black out.**


	4. Chapter 4

**N-Black is back with a new chapter! Sorry if the last section of chapter 3 seemed a bit rushed, I was a little crunched for time back then. But I'll make it up to you with a chapter that contains not one, but TWO, epic battles! How will the "peeping" incident develop? Will Justin be expelled for it? Well I'm not going to tell you, so don't ask! JK guys, I don't want to spoil this for you guys, so here's chapter 4!**

**P.S: I hope don't get flamed for my bad joke…**

**Chapter 4: Rivalries and Awkwardness **

Justin tossed and turned that night. He was having that same nightmare again, the same one that has been plaguing him for the past five years…

_He was alone, running in the forest. His heart was beating a mile a minute; he didn't dare look back behind him, fearful of what he would see. He kept going despite how ragged his breaths came to him, how tired his legs were from running across the rough forest floor. He kept going; he could hear the creature roar. The roar was hollow and empty, like it had no soul. He was told not to go near the cave by one of the townspeople, but he had strayed too far and now he was running for his life. The air grew icy and bitter cold and the grass beneath him was being shrouded in frost. Nothing was here to save him from whatever this creature was. He tripped and fell across an overgrown root and cowered by the base of a large tree. He could hear nothing, no pokemon were flying away, none were howling. He was truly alone. The creature reared its head and from what Justin could see in the darkness of the night, the creature had glowing yellow eyes. It gave one last roar and charged the tree and Justin waited for the_ _impact…_

"Wake up Justin! We have our first lessons today, and I don't want to be late!" Justin rubbed his eyes and saw the distorted image of his friend Ethan. Justin rose up from his bed and got up, albeit slowly and proceeded to get ready. He was still in shock about his nightmare. It had been recurring over the past five years, but it was never a problem. But last night's nightmare was so vivid. He felt like he could still feel that chill…

"Where's Carlos at?"

"He's in the bathroom fixing his hair."

Justin knocked on the bathroom door lazily. He was still tired. Not only did the nightmare make him toss and turn, but he had also sprinted all the way from the girl's side of the campus to here. He was surprised that he hadn't woken up anybody with his scramble to hide. He remembered what he saw, Elesa the supermodel in nothing, but a towel. He also remembered how he happened to see it.

**"Damn Murkrow…"** He wanted nothing more than to see that bird get what's coming to it.

Carlos opened the door and Justin saw his messy hair and his futile attempt at trying to control it.

"Sorry I took so long Justin. I'm just trying to fix my hair." He had sprayed a copious amount of hairspray onto his hair and, like a stretched out spring, his hair went back to being messy, the only change was that his hair was now very shiny and greasy.

"Ah man…"

"Just leave it, it looks fine the way it is. I would probably just wash it. It looks like you put a Grimer in your hair…"

Justin put on his new clothes, a black zip up jacket, which had a collar that went up to half of his neck's height that left some breathing space for his neck. The cuffs of his jacket were pinned together with a gold buttons and on his back was the symbol of the Pokemon Leauge in Unova, a pokeball in a check mark like symbol. He wore black cargo pants which had the excess part of the pants tucked into his ankle high black shoes and had a t-shirt that had an image of a tear caused by an Ursaring, or really any pokemon with sharp claws. Carlos sported a plain black v-neck, black fingerless gloves, and black jeans with a golden chain hanging from the left pocket. He had black shoes that had yellow outlines and a very nice black jacket that had three yellow rings going down each of the sleeves. The sleeves had a white stripe that went down them as well as a yellow outline and where the jacket zipped up there was another yellow outline. Justin swore that Carlos would be more intimidating than a Gyrados if he didn't have that happy smile on his face.

"Nice clothes man." Ethan had come out of the sleeping quarters and put his cap on.

"Thanks, got to look good for the ladies y'know? Just wish my hair was more reasonable…" That reminded Justin that he hadn't mentioned last night's events to either of them. Realization soon struck him that if Elesa had told someone about this, he was going to be expelled! He could picture it now, him getting an earful from Professor Oak, getting filed for sexual harassment by the police, and the overwhelming shame of being tossed off the island for good, never to return again… Since these probably going to be the last time he would see these guys, Justin decided to tell them all about it. He didn't want to tell anyone till he was ready, but it he could trust these guys, even if he had only known them for a day, they were some of the only people who upright talked to him without asking about the way he dresses or about his unsociable attitude.

"Hey guys, there's something I need to tell you."

Both of his friends looked at him and had faces of curiosity.

"What about dude?" Carlos and Ethan's carefree attitudes made it easier for Justin to talk to them. He was always an introvert, never really liking being around groups of people or around really rowdy people.

"It's… about last night."

Realization struck both their faces and they both said simultaneously,

"Your necklace right? Did you find it?" Oh he had found it alright; he had found a **lot** of things yesterday.

"Yeah well, you see, I DID find it, but a Murkrow had it. So I chased the Murkrow, I followed it up the roof and up a tree. It looked like it was enjoying taunting me because it dangled my necklace just a few centimeters away from my fingers."

Carlos and Ethan both chuckled at this part of the story.

"What's so funny?"

Ethan stopped chuckling first and explained,

"Murkrows are real troublemakers."

Carlos settled down and also began to speak.

"I've seen one take a lady's Caterpie and then come back and took her Pokegear too. Then it dropped the Caterpie at the top of the Radio Tower."

"I didn't know you were from Johto."

"I'm from Goldenrod."

Both of his friends were now rolling on the floor laughing at each other's various stories about the shenanigans of Murkrow and finally settled down once they saw a very annoyed Justin.

"Oh, ah, please proceed…"

"Anyways…it then flies by this windowsill and pulls the curtains."

"What happened after that?"

"I saw… somebody."

"Well who'd you see?"

This last part of Justin's tale seemed to pull Carlos's focus to him.

"More importantly, how did you see them?" Carlos looked very anxious to hear Justin's answer, his eyes showing fierce curiosity.

Justin took in a long breath and said quietly,

"Elesa Bolt, the supermodel… in nothing but a towel."

**On the way to class…**

Carlos was dumbfounded to say the least. He continually muttered underneath his breath something that sounded like,

"Lucky… wish I could see a supermodel in a towel…"

The three boys kept walking on through the main building of the academy to reach their first class, Pokemon Origins. Justin looked at the Xtransceiver on his wrist and the time read 8:40. They still had twenty minutes left before their class started and they were already at the door!

"Ethan I thought you said we were going to be late!"

"Oops! I had my alarm set for my old school, sorry…"

"We really have twenty minutes to burn? I'm going to the cafeteria to get some girls, uh; I mean food, yeah food…"

"**Yeah right, I know you're just going to go hit on some girls…"**

Carlos was a goofball and had an addiction to girls that doesn't seem to ever quit being on the forefront of his mind. However, Carlos is a good guy and is very understanding. Justin's mind was on other things though, he was worried that he would be expelled, arrested, and humiliated. He sighed and Ethan, who seemed to have the abilities of a Ralts, put a hand on his shoulder. He had told them his fear of being expelled and the two did their best to comfort him, but no matter how much they consoled him, he still had that fear.

"Listen man, don't worry about it. You'll be fine, just trust me on this."

"Thanks Ethan." Justin then spotted a familiar person walking down the hallway. He was short, chubby, had a turquoise Hawaiian print shirt with white shorts, had curly brown hair, wore flip flops, and red rimmed sunglasses. "Scott?"

The man looked at the two boys and ran to Justin as fast as his short legs would take him.

"Justin! Good to see you! I was wondering where you were! If you don't mind, may I see your ID please?"

"ID?"

Ethan face palmed and took out a card which had Justin's photo from is last school on it.

"They dropped it off in the morning and I grabbed them. I forgot to give them to you guys. I better go give this to Carlos; he can't buy breakfast without it!" With that, Ethan was gone and Justin stood by his classroom alone with Scott. Ethan was pretty dense to not see that Carlos was trying to get some girls, but he was a good friend. Justin handed his new ID to Scott, who then pulled out a small tablet and scanned his card. He had a satisfied look on his face.

"Excellent! As I had hoped, your one of the students I'll be counseling!"

Counseling? Justin did remember vaguely that Professor Oak did say something about them meeting their counselors…

"I stopped by last night, but you weren't there. Where were you if you don't mind me asking?"

Once again, the images of Elesa and that Murkrow flooded into his mind, clear as a still lake.

"It's a long story…"

"I understand. Well I need to get going, have a good first day!"

Scott walked down the corridor and vanished around the corridor. Justin looked at the time once again and it read 8:55. Only five more minutes until his first, and hopefully not his last, class at Pokemon Academy…

The bell rings signaling all the students to go to their first class of the day. Justin hears the door to the room unlock and sees a woman come out of the classroom. She had a white lab coat, a green skirt, red sneakers, white t-shirt and light brown hair that was styled upwards so that her hair almost resembled a chocolate drop. She saw Justin and smiled.

"Well aren't you early! Come on in!" She led Justin to inside of the classroom. The classroom was large and the seats rose and resembled a coliseum. He turned at who Justin presumed was his teacher and asked,

"Where do I sit?"

"Anywhere you'd like." His teacher had mint green eyes and red earrings that were shaped like playing card diamonds. Justin went up towards the very top of the seats to avoid being in the middle of the class. He put his things down and waited patiently for class to start. He heard his teacher welcome someone else in and he saw a girl with chocolate brown hair who was wearing a dress that ended in a mini skirt and had pink leggings. Her hair was styled so that she had two large loops of hair that went down her back, she had an elaborate bow on her dress collar, and she had brown eyes. She was carrying some rather large books and seemed to be struggling. Justin got up and walked towards the girl and asked,

"Do you need help?"

The girl looked at Justin slightly surprised and sighed.

"Yes, I would appreciate it."

He grabbed the books and instantly regretted his decision. Was this girl taking every class in the school or something?

"W-Where to?" His voice was strained under the weight of the many textbooks.

"In the middle if you could."

He ascended the small steps with difficulty and finally set the books down when the girl told him to stop. With a great heave, he began to go up to his seat when the girl stopped him.

"Wait! T-Thanks... no one has ever carried my books for me before…"

"No problem." Justin felt a surge of pride in helping this girl.

"If I may ask, what is your name?"

The girl's formalness with him was amusing.

"My name is Justin Evoran. What's yours?"

"Roxanne Stone."

"Nice to meet you."

"Likewise." The girl sat down and Justin peered down and saw that his teacher was smiling. She quickly turned away and began writing on the board. Justin saw several other students come walking in and taking their seats. Ethan and Carlos walked in and made the trek up to the top level seats where Justin was sitting.

"We have the nosebleed seats then?" Carlos had his trademark grin on his face and that mischievous glint in his eyes that was eerily similar to a Murkrow's.

Justin chuckled and nodded. When the two sat down, Justin noticed a red mark on Carlos's cheek, a rather large, hand shaped mark.

"Carlos, what happened in the cafeteria?"

"Hm? Oh you mean this?" He pointed to his cheek and smirked. "I told a girl a joke and I guess it wasn't funny to her."

Ethan started to chuckle as Carlos retold the events of their trip to the cafeteria.

"And what was the joke?" Justin could already see where this was going; he had seen enough of a Carlos's personality to know.

"I asked her if I could Squirtle all over her Jigglypuffs. She didn't seem to find it very amusing."

Justin couldn't help but laugh at his friend's crude humor. He looked and saw that Carlos looked a little surprised and Justin asked him,

"Why are you looking at me like that?"

"It's just that I don't see you laugh. I was a little worried that I was sharing a room with someone with no sense of humor."

Justin let this sink in and realized that he hadn't laughed like this in a long time. He began to feel downcast and sullen.

"I'm sorry if I hurt your feelings bro, I didn't mean to."

"I know you didn't. I just haven't had a lot to laugh about in a while."

And as Justin said that, perhaps the biggest reason he wasn't in a laughing mood had just walked into the classroom. Elesa Bolt had just walked in accompanied by her friend Skyla and as well as a posse of fans and admirers. "Oh Arceus help me."

Carlos and Ethan looked at Justin and Justin simply pointed down. The two looked down and instantly understood why their friend had clammed up. Elesa, Skyla, and the posse behind them all found their seats and waited anxiously for their teacher to begin the lesson. The final bell rang and their teacher turned around and smiled at the class.

"Welcome students to Pokemon Origins. I'm your instructor, Professor Juniper. In this class, we will learn about and test the various theories of how pokemon came to exist! But before I start the lesson I must take roll."

Professor Juniper began to read off names and Justin slinked off into a daydream…

_He was alone again, though not in a forest this time, but what appeared to be a pokemon battle stadium. He stood on the far side of the field and across from him was a female silhouette. The field grew dark and there was only enough light to see the silhouette that was now approaching him. He wanted to move, but his feet remained firmly planted on the ground and his arms stiff as boards. He could do nothing except watch the silhouette touch his cheek and pull his face closer to its own. He realized there was nothing he could do and just let it happen, their lips only centimeters apart from each other, calling for the each other's embrace… _

"Mr. Evoran?" At the sound of his name, Justin's eyes snapped open. He saw next to him, Professor Juniper with her kind smile on her face and he could hear the sniggering and whispers from among his peers. Professor Juniper leaned in and whispered to Justin,

" Mr. Evoran did you get much sleep last night?" He could detect genuine concern in her voice. Not something he heard very often.

"No professor."

"Alright, make sure to go to bed early today, alright? I don't like singling out people in class."

"Yes professor."

"Good." With that she walked down the steps and back to the bottom of the classroom. Justin could hear people commenting about him,

"That's the guy who battled yesterday right?"

"Did you see the look on his face when he woke up? That was priceless!"

"What creepy clothes! I mean like all black? Really?"

"I heard that he was kind of a weirdo…"

These comments were expected, but what surprised Justin was that no one made a comment on his "peeping" incident. What he did find when he was scanning the room was that Elesa was staring at him, as if she were studying him. As soon as she saw that he had looked at her. She immediately turned around. Maybe she didn't know it was him? If that was the case then he had nothing to fear! But the fact that she was staring at him meant that he looked familiar, and that was not good. He would have to keep his head low and avoid anything that may put him in the spotlight until this whole incident dies down and then he could go back to being incognito, like he always liked to be…

**Elesa's POV**

"Darn he saw me!" Elesa was trying to see if that boy was the peeping tom she had saw last night.

"Elesa you're worrying too much."

"How can I not worry!" She turned to her best friend with pleading eyes.

"Why don't you just tell the Headmaster that it's the guy you think it is?"

"I can't because I don't know for sure if it's him or not. I don't want to start a scene either. The media is crawling all over this island."

She turned to Skyla and saw what looked like an idea flash across her friend's face. She smiled and turned to Elesa.

"I've got it!"

"What? What is it?" Elesa was anxious to hear her plan. Skyla leaned in and whispered it to her.

"Are you sure this will work Skyla?" Her plan had a few flaws to it, as they usually did.

"Yep! Just catch him alone, after luch would be good! By the way, who is your suspect?"

Elesa pointed upwards at a boy with brown skin, wavy hair and black clothes.

"Hmmm… I wouldn't mind letting him see me in a towel…"

Elesa scowled and Skyla blushed and tried to cover up what she had said. Elesa would find out today whether or not he was the stalker. Then she could rest easy…

**Justin's POV**

"Well now, let's begin today's lesson shall we? So who can tell me where pokemon eggs come from?"

Several hands went up, but none matched the speed of Roxanne's. She raised her hand so fast, that it looked like her arm just teleported up there.

"Yes Ms. Stone?"

"No one knows where pokemon eggs come from. No one, not even leading experts on this subject, such as the academy's own Professor Elm, knows how pokemon eggs are made. All that is known is that pokemon of the same species, or egg group for that matter, when left at a Pokemon Day-Care may occasionally ,and mysteriously, have in their possession, a pokemon egg."

"An excellent answer Ms. Stone! Now moving on!"

Justin knew that, he just didn't really participate in class that much. In truth, people who don't do good in school, aren't really dumb, they're just lazy. Not saying that he himself was dumb, oh Arceus no. He was smart; it was just that Roxanne happened to be a walking encyclopedia that had spring action arms... Roxanne's answer sounded like something out of a documentary. The next few questions that Professor Juniper asked got harder and harder. Fewer hands went up during her eighth question, but almost instantaneously, Roxanne's hand flew up like a bullet. Professor Juniper scanned the room with a look that clearly said, "Does** ANYBODY** else know?"

She gave up her search and said in a defeated voice,

"Ms. Stone…"

Roxanne gave her answer and Professor Juniper gave a very unenthusiastic," Yes." Justin was getting bored, almost on the verge of sleeping. This course was dry since Professor Juniper lost all her vigor as well. The only person who seemed to full of energy was Roxanne. Before he lost all concentration, he decided to go the bathroom and splash his face with cold water to wake up. He looked to the left and saw that Carlos had attached sticky notes to cover his eyes that had pictures of eyes, albeit drawn poorly, to make him seem awake. However his little disguise was countered by his loud snoring. Ethan was also struggling to remain conscious, but eventually gave up and began to drool onto his notebook which was now full of doodles instead of notes. Justin raised his hand and waited for the professor to call on him.

"Yes Mr. Evoran?"

"May I use the bathroom?"

Professor Juniper yawned and dismissed him by gently waving her hand towards the door. He walked down the long aisle and heard Professor Juniper ask another question. As he walked down to where Roxanne was sitting, he didn't notice the hand soar upwards. Roxanne's hand hit Justin square in the chin and he fell unconscious hearing nothing, but the faint gasps and yelps as he slipped away…

He was having the same dream he had in Professor Juniper's class earlier. The female silhouette held his cheek with her palm and their heads were pulled forward. Their lips so close, yet so far from touching… Justin awoke to the sound of voices in the room he was in. He was quite annoyed right now. He wanted to finish that dream; he wanted to see what happened next. He looked at his surroundings and inspected. There was various medical equipment and nurses that all looked the same.

"**I must be in the school's pokemon center."**

He touched his chin and felt a twang of pain. It was all coming back to him now. He looked and saw Nurse Joy talking to someone. She turned and saw that he was awake and called in somebody. Roxanne had walked in and she looked like she was crying. She approached him and looked at him with pure sadness in her eyes.

"I-I-I'm sorry for punching you…" She looked like she was going to cry again. She also looked like she was bracing herself for a hit as well.

"Hey don't cry. If any thing, I should be crying."

She looked up at him and looked surprised.

"You're not mad?"

"Of course not! It was an accident; you didn't mean to do it."

"Thank you for understanding." Justin rose up slowly and rolled his neck.

"No problem. So how long was I out?"

"About an hour, you missed History of the Pokemon League, but I can let you see the notes so you can catch up. It's the least I could do to help you out."

"Thanks. What's next on my schedule then?" He grabbed his bag and looked at his class schedule. He had Battling 101 next. He looked at the clock and saw that their second period class was about to end.

"Nurse, may I leave?"

"You seem to be fine. Just be safe."

"Thank you." He got up and grabbed his things.

"Wait here's the notes!" Roxanne handed Justin some very elaborate notes.

"Thanks, but no thanks." He handed the notes back to Roxanne and she seemed stunned.

"Why aren't you going to take them?"

"It's better if I learn this myself. I'll see you later, oh, and thanks for coming to see me."

"I wasn't the only one who wanted to come, your friend's Ethan and Carlos wanted to come to, but Professor Rowan wouldn't let them."

"Thanks for telling me, but why did you come to see me? Why would you miss one of your classes to come see someone you barely know?

He could see a slight blush forming in her cheeks and she fidgeted with the bow around her neck.

"W-Well…I felt responsible and you helped me with my books. Everyone just uses me for my homework so that they get a good grade. No one's really nice to me..."

Justin felt bad for her. He knew what that was like, people taking advantage of someone's better nature for their own gain and not even thanking them. It made him sick.

"I'm sorry about that." He placed a hand on her shoulder and she tensed at his touch, "I should go to class, I'll see you around some time. Oh, and you put a Hitmonchan to shame by the way."

He smiled and walked out of the center and left a blushing Roxanne, who had clenched her hand on the shoulder he had touched and held it there as if it were his hand…

**Pokemon Battling 101, 11:30**

Justin could see Carlos and Ethan in a large group of people who were all walking towards their next class. He gently moved through the crowd as to avoid anybody who may have been in his second period class. Getting knocked out by a girl on the first day was not the plan. He finally caught up to the two and walked next to Ethan.

"Hey you're okay!" Carlos patted Justin hard on the back. Carlos's hands were heavy and the added force just added to the slight pain. "We were worried man. We wanted to come, but Professor Rowan wouldn't let us. He can be scary when he wants to be…"

Ethan nodded in agreement and Justin was proud to call them his friends. They reached the stadium where there next lesson was going to take place. The entered and saw that the room was full of trainers battling and training their pokemon. A stray Ice Beam froze the wall that was next to him and looked at the trainer responsible, an overconfident blonde boy with an orange and white striped shirt, green scarf, blue jeans, and orange sneakers.

"Sorry 'bout that!" He looked at his Prinplup and scolded it. "Focus on the target Prinplup! Again!"

Justin looked farther into the classroom and saw their teacher, a rather stern looking man who was actually really short. He had fierce eyes and wore a green jacket with six buttons going up and green pants. He had brown hair and saw the new students enter and approached.

"You must be the new students! My name is Brandon Hart! But to you students it's Pyramid King Brandon!"

Pyramid King? Seemed like a power trip to Justin.

"He was the Battle Pyramid's Frontier Brain! I heard he signed on to teach at the academy, bit he misses the respect he had as the Pyramid King."

So the man was a Frontier Brain. The Battle Frontier did not exist in Unova, but was heard of. Apparently only the strongest trainers can become frontier brains.

"Stop talking all of you!" Silence followed his words, but one was still speaking. Ethan was watching a nearby battle and was exclaiming loudly.

"Nice attack! That was a great move, did you see that!" He turned and Justin could literally feel heat coming from Brandon. The former Frontier Brain turned to face Ethan and stared at him through eyes narrowed dangerously into slits and hissed,

"Young man… maybe you'd like to show the whole class what you're capable of since you seem so advanced that you don't have to listen to me…" Ethan simply smiled and nodded.

"Sure, that'd be great!" There was some confused mumbling from the rest of the class. Brandon clearly hadn't expected this answer and fell on his words.

"T-Tough guy huh? Well we'll see about that… JARET! FRONT AND CENTER! I hope you're ready for utter humiliation, uh, what's your name?"

"Ethan Gold, Professor Brandon." Not calling Brandon by his suggested title obviously upset him.

"IT'S PYRAMID KING BRANDON! WHERE ARE YOU JARET?"

"I'm comin', sheesh… what do you want?" The boy he had called over was just as tall as Carlos and had a red, white and black sweat suit on. He had his arms behind his head as if he were laying down and had shaggy brown hair that was just a little lighter than his eyes.

"Show this guy what students who are counseled by me are capable of." He pointed at a now excited Ethan who was stretching for his upcoming battle. Ethan's dense personality made it incapable for him to see he was being punished, he obviously just saw it as another battle. The boy named Jaret walked over to Ethan and extended his hand.

"Jaret King, second-year student, athlete, and pokemon trainer." Ethan shook Jaret's hand and introduced himself.

"Ethan Gold, first-year, pokemon trainer, and future champion of the Johto Region!"

Jaret laughed and walked over to his side of the field. He turned his head and looked over at Brandon and yelled.

"Hey Brandon! A double battle right?"

"It's been a year since I met you and you still don't say my name right! And yes it's a double battle!"

"Well your name is Brandon right?"

"A double battle? Let's go, Quilava and Beedrill!" The green echidna and bee pokemon emerged from their pokeballs and prepared for battle.

"Sorry to say this kid, but… you're not going to win. Brandon would chew me out if I lost to you!"

Somewhere over by the side of the field, Justin could swear that Brandon had twitched as Jaret said his regular name without the title. It was like it was taboo or something. Jaret sent out his pokemon as well.

"Growlithe, Pidgeotto!" A red dog with black stripes and a brown feathered bird pokemon came out and were ready as well. "I'll let you have the first move kid."

"Alright then… Quilava use Flamethrower on Pidgeotto and Beedrill use poison Sting on Growlithe!" The Quilava's head and back were now wrought in flames as it fired a cone of fire towards the Pidegeotto and Beedrill was charging Growlithe with its stingers firing poison needles.

"Growlithe jump in front of Flamethrower and Pidgeotto use Gust." Jaret seemed completely laid back and a little bored. The crowd gasped as the Growlithe jumped in front of the stream of flames. The attack hit Growlithe, but Pidgeotto's gust blew the rest of the flames out and stopped the poison stingers in their tracks. Growlithe wagged its tail playfully and barked. It was now glowing with red energy. Jaret smiled and looked at the crowd, soaking in their astonished silence.

"Flash Fire… an ability that absorbs fire attacks and boosts the user's own fire attacks by fifty percent. Your Quilava's attack did nothing but strengthen Growlithe's own fire and now I'll show you... our true power!" He pointed his hand out to the middle of the field and ordered his team's next plan of action.

"Growlithe use your own flamethrower on the ground and Pidgeotto use Whirlwind on the flames." Jaret's Growlithe breathed an intense flame, so intense that Justin could feel the heat from the field despite being quite a good distance from it. The flames burned on the ground and Pidgeotto fanned the flames towards Ethan's team, the wall of flame approaching slowly.

"Quilava use Flame Wheel through the fire and Beedrill fly over the wall and use Twineedle!" The pokemon responded and soon Quilava was rolling through the wall of flame and Beedrill over it.

"Oh no you don't! Pidgeotto use Twister on the fire!" The bird pokemon circled the flames and flapped its wings with tenacity. Soon there was a towering cone of flame encompassing Beedrill. The bug pokemon was definitely out of the picture, but Quilava had made it through the wall. The pokemon skidded to a halt as soon as the wall was breached and made another Flame Wheel and flew at Pidgeotto.

"Growlithe, stop that Quilava with a Flamethrower!" There was a hint of desperation in Jaret's voice, as if he were afraid that he was going to lose should this attack miss. Quilava was out of the reach of the enhanced flames and the Flame Wheel score a direct hit against Pidgeotto. The bird pokemon plummeted and so did Ethan's Beedrill who finally fell out of the fiery vortex. Both trainers recalled the fainted pokemon and had their attention back on the match.

"Quiilava use Swift!" Quilava launched several star-shaped rays that flew at Growlithe.

"Growlithe use Fire Spin!" Growlithe let out a torrent of spiraling flames that were enhanced by its Flash Fire. The spiral absorbed the rays and struck Quilava, knocking it around in the hot tornado. The attack dissipated and Quilava laid unconscious, Ethan recalled Quilava and sighed.

"Good Battle Jaret."

"You to, though my win would have been better if you didn't knock out Pidgeotto, but hey! You're pretty good Ethan, keep it up." He lumbered off, back to where he was and Brandon walked in front of Ethan with a victorious grin on his face.

"So how do you feel hot shot? Maybe you'll call me by my proper name now that you've been put in your place!" He burst out in a fit of laughter and looked at a confused Ethan.

"Why are you laughing Professor Brandon? Did I do something funny?" The class chuckled and Justin couldn't help but laugh at Brandon's face. He looked like a constipated Stunfisk! He made sounds, but no words came out of Brandon's twitching mouth. Maybe Ethan's dense head was an asset after all. The bell rang and Justin and Carlos quickly grabbed Ethan before Brandon could choke him. Their next class boring and uneventful, Justin had no idea that studying the mysterious inside of a pokeball would be so mind-numbing. He left that class and instantly knew that Technology and Pokemon was going to be his least favorite subject. The trio sat down after receiving their lunches at a picnic table outside. The sun was bright and Justin could no longer take it, he had to put his shades on. He pulled them out of his jacket pocket and put them on. The frames were empty at first, but after about five seconds, the lenses slid out of the frames and covered his eyes. He looked next to him and Carlos whistled.

"Nice shades man! Where'd you get those at?"

"The Shopping Mall Nine in Unova." His glasses were specially ordered, all with his own money that he had saved up. The frames were sleek and black and the lenses blocked out a lot of the sun's glare so he could see very clearly when doing things outside. The glasses were about 10,000 Pokedollars, but they were well worth it. Justin and his friends finished their lunch and he went to throw out his trash. He looked up at a very familiar tree and saw hanging from a branch, his necklace. He tensed with rage at the Murkrow he knew dwelt within the safety of the branches and leaves. He could hear a faint noise that sounded eerily close to laughter coming from the tree…

"**You'll get yours bird… someday."**

Justin walked past the tree to the garbage can when an all too familiar red headed figure stuck his leg out…

Justin fell with no warning and landed hard on the ground. He heard laughter, but that didn't matter, what did matter was that the volcano head asshole who did this to him was going to have his face drenched in a matching shade of crimson once he got back up. Justin had gotten up and saw that Carlos was standing in front of him with fists clenched. If Carlos was a pokemon, he would be a Houndoom with its fangs bared. Justin could hear the cocky voice of his enemy.

"Who are you? This loser's boyfriend or something? Well you're out of luck because he already filled that position." The volcano headed menace pointed at Ethan and Justin could see the same expression Carlos had fill Ethan's face as well. Justin rose but Carlos put his hand back telling him to stop.

"What are you doing Carlos?"

"What's right." He stepped forward with a pokeball drawn, a look of pure hatred across his face. Justin held Carlos's arm back before he could toss the ball.

"This is my fight Carlos! Let me handle it!" Carlos simply pulled his arm away from Justin and continued to look ahead.

"C-Carlos?"

"Let me do this Justin." Carlos's voice was shaky he turned his head and saw tears forming, something that did not match his imposing stature in the slightest. "Please…" Justin backed away slowly; he understood Carlos's feelings just through those few words. He now cast an angry gaze towards his adversary.

"Are we done with all this sensitive crap now… jeez you're weak." Carlos stepped forward and raised a pokeball.

"Oh you're going to fight me? Fine I'll show you how weak you are!" With that, he sent out his first pokemon, a Haunter. The Haunter appeared and had its long tounge outstretched and smiled a comedic grin.

"Chuberto!" Justin sweat dropped at the nickname he gave his pokemon, it really matched his normal personality. The pokemon that appeared was a Pikachu. The yellow mouse crackled electricity in its red cheek pouches. Many female trainers cooed at the small mouse and under normal circumstances, Carlos would have talked to one of them, but right now he was stoic and silent.

"How weak and pathetic! Haunter use Hypnosis on that rat!" The ghost pokemon"s eyes glowed and it sent rings of telepathic thought to Pikachu.

"Dodge and use Thunderbolt." The electric mouse moved swiftly and launched a large bolt of thunder at the Haunter. Haunter teleported and evaded the blow with ease however.

"Too slow! Haunter use Shadow Ball!" A dark blob formed in Haunter's hands was then launched quickly at Carlos's Pikachu.

"Chuberto dodge it and use Quick Attack!" Pikachu dodged yet another one of Haunter's attacks and closed in on Haunter quickly.

"Idiot! Ghost types are immune to Normal-type attacks, Haunter stand your ground!"

"I know that… you're the idiot for letting me close in on you."

The boy's eyes widened in fear and he opened his mouth to tell Haunter to dodge, but he was too late. Chuberto was already right in Haunter's face, charged with electricity, and let loose a powerful close range Thunderbolt. The light was so great that even Justin's own glasses were having trouble blocking the effects. The leftover electricity still remained in the air and Justin could feel the hair on the back of his neck stand up in response. Volcano head was in a state of shock at what just happened, his Haunter laid unconscious on the ground, still twitching from the leftover electricity. He returned in silence and called out his second pokemon, his Croconaw. Carlos returned Chuberto and sent out another pokemon.

"Rhyberto!" A large armored Rhyhorn stood in the middle of the makeshift arena in the middle of the outer eating areas. Justin saw many people watching intently and recording the battle on their respective personal devices.

"Croconaw use Water Gun!" A jet of forceful water struck Rhyhorn squarely in the face. Rhydon was both a Rock and Ground type and getting hit by a water attack had to have caused it to faint.

"Rhyberto use Megahorn!" The Rhyhorn did not move at all.

"You should have known better! Your Rhyhorn is probably knocked out right now so just save your breath!" The jet of water striking Rhyhorn ceased and its eyes remained closed.

"Ready partner?" The Rhyhorn suddenly opened its eyes and charged forward with its horn now glowing fiercely.

"What?! How is it still not down? Croconaw use Water Gun again!" The attack hit Rhyhorn, but it charged forward, plowing through the attack like a bulldozer, using its horn to cut through the jet of water. "I don't understand?! How is it still up after taking TWO super-effective hits!?" There was agony in the boy's voice and his eyes filled with the same feeling.

"Rhyhorn's ability Solid Rock reduces the damage of super-effective moves. Had you kept attacking Rhyhorn while it was still down, you could have knocked it out." Rhyhorn's attack sent Croconaw flying to its trainer's feet. It was unconscious and didn't stir at all.

"WORTHLESS TOOL!" The boy cried out and rage replaced the hopelessness that was in his eyes earlier. This outburst caught Carlos's attention and he could see him crease his brow in anger.

"What did you call your pokemon…"

"A TOOL! That's all it is! They exist to help me become the strongest trainer in the world!"

"POKEMON AREN'T TOOLS!" Carlos's voice was fierce and the effect was like a thunderclap, everything was silent after he spoke. "They're our friends and companions, they work with us, play with us, we learn from them and they learn from us! That's why we will be forever linked with them! So why do you treat your friends like objects?" Justin now knew why Carlos wanted this battle. People learn about each other not just from talking to each other, but by battling each other. Carlos had hoped to show this boy what he felt through battle. To show him the bonds pokemon and humans have.

"NONSENSE! Power is only obtainable through using others! There is no other way! Power is everything, nothing else matters!" It was Justin's turn to speak now.

"No, you're wrong! Having friends gives you power! The more people you know who share the same ideals as you do helps you grow and become stronger!" The boy recalled his pokemon and sprinted away in anger. The crowd that had gathered also dispersed, seeing as the battle was done. Justin walked over to Carlos and gave him a pat on the back. Carlos recalled his Rhyhorn and walked away. Justin was going to follow, but noticed something on the ground.

"Hey Ethan, go with Carlos I'm going up to the roof to think." Ethan nodded and walked back to the dorms with Carlos. Justin picked up the object that piqued his interest. He saw that it was volcano head's ID card! The name on the card read "Silver." There was no last name on it. He stuffed it into his pocket and went to the elevator to go to the roof. He didn't notice the blonde model hiding in the bushes next to the elevator…

He ascended to the very top of the academy and leaned on the protective railing and gazed out into the sea. His mind had many worries on it. He looked silently at the deep blue sea in silence and solitude…

**Elesa's POV**

Elesa came up the elevator working out the rest of Skyla's plan in her mind. She told her that if she could make that boy, Justin she thought his name was, scream, she could compare it to the scream of the pervert from last night. Just here on the academy for one night and people were already trying to peep on her. She set up the Xtransceiver to the alarm mode and put the volume to max. She had the timer set for two minutes and prayed to Arceus that it would work. The elevator stopped and opened into the covered lounge room that was on the roof. She could see Justin and quietly hid behind the wall of the lounge, the Xtransceiver counting down quietly. She saw him move and start walking back to the elevator; she panicked and sped the timer up to ten seconds…

**Justin's POV **

He decided that it was time to walk back to the dorms; the sun had almost fully set. He walked down leisurely and made his way to the elevator, today's events still fresh as a ripe berry in his mind. He walked past the lounge's barricade and proceeded to the open the elevator…

**Elesa's POV **

He had not noticed her presence when he walked in and was thankful. She looked at the boy in front of her and then silently gasped. The Xtransceiver was still counting down! She frantically tried to shut it off, but the attempt failed. The Xtransceiver hit zero on its timer and roared like an angry Exploud…

**Justin's POV **

Justin was about to enter the elevator when a loud sound nearly split his eardrums. He cringed at the sound and gritted his teeth to prevent a scream from escaping from his mouth. He turned and looked at the source of the noise and gasped when he saw Elesa. She was busy trying to shut off her Xtransceiver and when she did she looked up. He saw a blush of embarrassment grow on her pale skin. She chuckled nervously and hid the device from sight.

"Ha… ha… Hi…" She looked flustered. What was she doing up here?

"H-Hi Elesa…"

"H-Hi… *cough* Justin…"

"What are you doing up here?"

"I was…relaxing. I set my alarm so that if I fell asleep, I would get up."

"Pretty loud alarm for an afternoon nap don't you think?"

"W-Well I'm a heavy sleeper…"

"Ooookay…" He was not convinced she was up here taking a snooze in the slightest. "You going to your dorm I'm guessing."

"Yeah."

They walked into the elevator awkwardly and Justin punched in the floor number. They rode down in silence, both of them doing anything to pass the few seconds that had felt like minutes. Elesa was wrapping her earphone's cords around her finger and Justin was wiping the lenses of his glasses. After what seemed like an eternity, the elevator stopped and they parted ways. Elesa turned and awkwardly waved bye to him. He returned the gesture, awkwardness and all. They both entered their dorms, itching to tell their friends what had happened and both were formulating plans to find out what the other was really up to…

**WOOOOOOOO! Chapter 4 done! I told you I'd make it up to you guys! Well guys, review, send in OC's, and share the story with others! If you're interested in becoming a moderator for my forum, Pokemon Academy, PM me and I'll send you the requirements. Thanks to aggies2015 and Carlos-Sama for Jaret and Carlos! I'll be taking a break from writing for a little bit, but expect an update next Tuesday. Hope you guys enjoyed the chapter, N-Black out. **


	5. Chapter 5

**Surprise readers! That's right it's an early update! N-Black is back and I'm ready to crank out Chapter 5 for you guys. Justin has just discovered that Elesa was possibly spying on him and he has learned his enemy's true identity! How will Elesa try to find out if Justin is the stalker or not this time? What plans will Justin come up with to deal with Silver? Wha-**

**Angry Reader: Get on with it! **

**Chapter 5: Skyla's New Plan…**

Elesa walked into her dorm and her two roommates, Skyla and Lyra, looked at her with great expectancy. Elesa simply sighed and fell onto her bed. The other two did the same. The three roommates looked up at the ceiling until Skyla broke the silence.

"How bad did it go?"

"Very bad."

Elesa knew that the plan wouldn't work! She was desperate and wanted to do anything to find out if he was the stalker or not, so she was careless and trusted another one of Skyla's hair brained schemes. Her plans never ended up well, yet Elesa always sought her help, she couldn't help it! She trusted Skyla more than herself sometimes! Lyra got up and looked at her pokegear. She was always messaging people, every hour of the day! She wasn't much of a battler, but she could take care of your pokemon better than you can if she wants. It's almost like paternity runs in her family, oh wait it does. Her grandparents were the Day-Care people in Goldenrod City, and they are great caretakers. Lyra was lean and had a long red long sleeve shirt on that was covered by her blue denim overalls that ended at the middle of her thighs. She had a large white hat that had a red ribbon tied to it; it nearly covered all her brown hair, which was styled into ponytails that were nearly parallel with her shoulders.

"Elesa why don't you just give up on the search and relax? It's not good for your complexion to worry so much." Lyra always protested Elesa's search for her stalker.

"Lyra, how can I relax if I know there's some creep that wants to look at me when I'm sleeping, or when I'm in the bathroom?" Elesa covered her face with her hands and sighed. She didn't know what to do! Justin doesn't seem to be the kind of person to go looking into the girl's dorm, but the person she saw last night definitely had the same skin tone and black hair that he did. While Lyra was texting and Elesa was brooding, Skyla was deep in thought.

"Skyla, what should I do?" A light bulb seemed to go off in Skyla's head because she had that "Eureka!" look again.

"I got it! And this time it's foolproof!"

"Are you sure it's foolproof, I mean your last "foolproof" idea caused a very awkward scene a few minutes ago."

"No this will definitely work!" Elesa had a bad feeling she was going to not like this plan. "What you've got to do is just become his friend!" Elesa took in her friend's plan and let it sink in. Becoming his friend would let him trust her and she could possibly get the information she needed from him! There was only one minor snag however…

"He looked really suspicious though. It might be weird if I look like I'm spying on him today and try to be best buddies with him tomorrow don't you think?"

"You're right… Oh, I know!" Lyra had looked up from her pokegear and was listening intently on their conversation.

"What is it?" The plan didn't sound that bad, and if Skyla had figured out a way to fix the small flaw, it just might work!

"I'll do it! I'll get to know him and I'll tell you the information you need to know!" Elesa had that same bad feeling course through her now. Was it wise to have her best friend do this?

"Are you sure Skyla? This is my problem, I should fix it myself. You don't need to get involved."

"It's okay, friends help friends remember?" Skyla patted Elesa on the back and went off to the bathroom. Elesa couldn't shake the feeling that she was going to get more than she bargained for…

**Justin's POV**

Justin walked quickly along towards his dorm to tell Ethan and Carlos what just happened.

"**I knew she looked suspicious!**" He silently scolded himself for having let his guard down. He should always be alert until the situation simmers down. He scanned his room key and stormed into the room. Carlos and Ethan were busy watching TV; it was an informational channel that showed all the luxuries the main island carried. The two turned their heads when the Justin set his things down on the table. Carlos was snacking on some chips and looked at Justin curiously. Ethan got up to greet Justin and proceeded to drag him over to the corner of the room. He checked behind him to make sure Carlos was still watching TV.

"You were up there a while dude. What happened?"

"How's the ladies man holding up?" Ethan looked behind him and sighed.

"He's still upset about what happened at lunch. That guy better watch out, cause if I-"

"Speaking of volcano head…" Justin pulled out Silver's ID and showed it to Ethan. "No last name, just Silver… sounds dubious to me."

"No kidding." Ethan hid the ID so Carlos wouldn't see it. Justin could tell that if Carlos was to see the Silver again, it would not be pretty, so it was wise to keep any news they had about Silver a secret till Carlos calmed down.

"To answer your previous question Ethan, I just ran into Elesa on the roof."

"Really?! What happened?"

"I want to tell both of you what happened." Ethan looked back and called Carlos. Carlos turned off the TV and walked slowly towards the other two. Justin could feel the sadness that Carlos had around him. He swore that if he saw Silver again that he would pay for what he's done. "Okay so now that you're both here, Elesa was on the roof, apparently napping, but I don't believe that story at all. She had her Xtransceiver's alarm fuction volume so far up that it nearly split my head in two, and then she tries to play it off by saying that it was her alarm. I knew that she was suspicious of me! I let my guard down and now I know that she's trying to find out if I was peeping or not!"

"That's a problem. If she keeps on going, you could get found out and kicked off the island! Well we're not going to let that happen! Right Carlos?"

"Y-Yeah…" Carlos's voice was small and weak. He sounded drained and weak, as if he had just outrun a herd of stampeding Tauros.

"You should get some rest Carlos." Without a word, Carlos took off his school clothes and was now in his boxers and tank top, still wearing his gloves of course, and slid into his bed and started to snore almost instantly. "We should all sleep. Something tells me I'll need all the strength I can get…" The two boys dressed in their pajamas and fell into their beds and rested for tomorrow…

_Justin was dreaming again, he was back on the battle field. Just like a replay, the same silhouette walked towards him, maybe he could finish the dream this time. The silhouette gently held his face and pulled him closer to its face, the light that was encasing Justin would reveal the silhouette's identity once their lips met. His heart was racing, every hair on his body was on end, but it was not from the excitement, it felt…cold… that same chill from five years ago swept across his body. The hand on his face was a burning cold that he could not describe. He felt the unfamiliar tingle of fear go through him. It was if his heart had sunk from his chest and crashed. He trembled on the spot, looking at the small layer of frost that covered the ground. It traveled upwards to his feet and the ice covered his body. He would not scream, he wouldn't give whatever was doing this the satisfaction of knowing he was afraid. He would remain silent till he broke free or froze to death. The ice crept up his body and now it was at his neck. The cold hands on his face were gone and the ice froze over. All he could see through his frozen prison was the silhouette wiping the ice that covered his face so that he could see it smile devilishly and walk away, the shrill sound of its laughter cutting the silence like a knife… _

Justin woke up in a cold sweat. He held his hand to his face and felt himself tremble. What did that dream mean? He looked at the clock and saw that it read 5:30. He looked around the room and saw that Ethan was still snoring loudly. He noticed that Carlos's bed was empty. He was worried now, had Carlos snuck out to get revenge on Silver? No, revenge wasn't something Carlos would try to get. He was too nice a person to do such a thing, so why was he out? Justin wiped the sleep out of his eyes when he noticed something else. He looked at his hands and saw water on them. He walked to the bathroom and looked in the mirror. He saw that his eyes were red and that there was a tear track on his cheek. He wasn't crying in his sleep was he? He rubbed his face and grimaced at his weakness.

"**I shouldn't be crying because of some silly little dream! It's not real!" **No matter what he did**, **Justin could never convince himself that what happened what happened five years ago wasn't real…

He put on his clothes and walked outside. His attire for the day was a little different, He still wore the same jacket, but his shirt had an image of a Tyranitar's eye staring fiercely. He admired Tyranitar's strength, but also feared them for that same reason. The collapse on Twist Mountain in Unova was caused by a single rampaging Tyranitar. He always wanted to meet one in person and see what they were really like. His thought process was halted when he saw a familiar face jogging towards him. The messy haired Carlos ran up to him and smiled.

"Hey Justin! You getting your morning exercise in too?" So that's where he went. Justin was glad that Carlos hadn't gone after Silver; he didn't want to have his friends get in trouble. The sun had just started to rise over the horizon and Justin realized how early it must be.

"No man. Are you always up this early?"

"Uh-huh! I got to stay in shape for the girls and it helps take my mind off…other things…" Justin knew that yesterday's incident still affected Carlos.

"It's alright Carlos. You don't need to fight him, that's what he wants."

"I know that…" Carlos's face was somber and he looked depressed, "I knew that and I still fought him. I'm ashamed that I couldn't control my emotions and that I put my pokemon in such an honor less fight."

"Carlos anybody would have done what you did. You did your team proud and Ethan and I are glad to call you our friend." He gave Carlos a reassuring nod and walked back to the dorms with Carlos to get ready for their lessons. The two kept walking and Carlos pointed to Justin's eyes and had an accusing look.

"Were you crying Justin?"

"N-No, it's just the cold air stinging my eyes." Carlos looked away and Justin mentally cursed. No one would know about this, not even his best friends back home…

**8:45, Hallways of the Academy**

Justin, Ethan, and Carlos walked side-by-side to reach their classroom. Ethan had readjusted his alarm clock to a more appropriate time to wake up, but that didn't matter to Justin this morning. They kept going and Justin peered at his schedule for the day. Pokemon Academy's school days consisted of four classes out of the six that all students had. The fifth class would take the first period and the first class from the day before would be their second period, and so on and so forth. It confusing and the Department of Education completely disagreed with the schedule, but Professor Oak went with it anyway. Justin remembered hearing that their Headmaster had said that people learn better when they are rested. It also shuffled the schedule so that if you aren't paying attention to what class you have next, you wouldn't be prepared for the lesson. This forces the students to always be mindful of their schedules. Today's first class would be Pokemon and Humans and it was going to be taught by Professor Oak himself! Ethan was absolutely ecstatic to hear the news. He looked up to Professor Oak and hoped that one day he could learn all sorts of hidden secrets from their Headmaster on how to become a better trainer. They approached the classroom and Justin saw Roxanne carrying her large books across from them.

"Hey Roxanne! How are you?" The brown-haired girl turned around quickly and saw Justin. She dropped her books and was now frantically picking them up. Carlos was going to move, must be natural instinct to help women in need, but Justin was faster. He approached Roxanne and dropped down to help her with her mobile library. "Seems like I'm always helping you out with your books, huh?" Justin turned and saw that Roxanne was not facing him. She was panting slightly, almost like she was afraid. "Hey you okay?" He reached over to hold her shoulder like he did yesterday. He didn't like seeing people in such a state, plus he felt a need to help her out, she shared the same painthat he did after all, being used by others for their own gain. As he touched her shoulder she tensed up like yesterday and let out a small yelp. Justin was confused at her behavior; she talked openly with him yesterday, so why wasn't she facing him now? He crooked his neck to try and see her face, but she suddenly turned her face to reveal a fierce scarlet color that had now painted her face. What did he do to make her look like this? Was she mad at him? She may have turned, but she still didn't meet his eyes. "Roxanne, is there something wrong? Did I do something to make you mad?" She shook her head vigorously to say no. So what made her turn into a Tamato Berry? He gathered her books and he stood up and offered to help her up, but she got up quickly, still not looking at his eyes. He looked at her and she eventually made eye contact. When she did, her eyes went blank and her face was an even deeper red. She muttered something that sounded like,

"T-T-Thank you…" and ran off with her leaning tower of learning in her arms.

"Strange." Justin turned back and he saw Ethan looking just as confused as he did, but Carlos had an impressed look on his face and was slowly clapping.

"What's up with the clapping?"

"Only two days here on the island and you already have someone crushin' on you. Wish I had your luck, but the ladies will be drawn to hard work and and my natural charm." All three of them shared a laugh as they walked down the halls to reach their class. Justin still had no idea what Carlos meant earlier.

"Hey Carlos, what did you mean back there?'

"Back there with that girl? Oh, I meant that she has the hots for you Justin!" He playfully punched Justin the way Nate did.

"I still don't know what you mean."

"Really?! Wow, you're almost as dense as Ethan dude." He chuckled lightly and kept walking. Justin didn't think he was dense in the slightest. Well he'd keep asking Carlos till he gave him a clear answer...

**Skyla's POV **

Skyla was making her way down to her first class, Pokemon and Humans; she had her plan all set up. She would find Justin and drop her books and then he would come to help her, it was perfect! She just needed to find him. She spotted him and two others. She didn't plan on having to deal with two others. From what she heard about him through the other girlswas that he was kind of creepy and didn't seem to really be a sociable person. She took a deep breath and exhaled.

"Here goes nothing…" She ran down the hallway and let herself slip and let the rest play itself out…

**Carlos's POV**

Carlos couldn't believe that Justin didn't figure out what he meant. It was obvious that Roxanne liked him. Hell, a Tauros stampede left less tracks than she did. He wanted Justin to figure out the truth for himself, no matter how many times he pestered him, he would not cave in. Carlos couldn't help but wonder what made that Roxanne girl like him so much. Justin was a good guy, but his clothes are kind of a turn off to most girls, but some might like that whole bad boy visage. However, Roxanne just wasn't that kind of girl. She was smart and a bookworm. Carlos was pretty sure that she wouldn't talk to someone who looked like he had a criminal record. He knew that she went to the infirmary to see him after he got knocked out, so Carlos guessed that whatever made her like him, happened there. He would ask him after their lessons were over and see what had really happened. He lost his train of thought when he saw a tan red-haired girl running down the hallway across from them carrying a few books. Her sky-blue jacket tightly hugged her upper body and didn't cover her flat stomach. She had short shorts of the same color and in Carlos's experience; those had to be the shortest shorts that he had ever seen. She had nice toned legs and a cute face. He continued to gaze at her and drool started to form at the corner of his mouth.

"**Dayum!**" Was all he could think of when he saw her, but his trance was broken when she slipped and fell to the ground. He immediately ran towards the fallen angel and skidded to a halt beside her.

"Are you okay?" He put on his most charming face and asked with his question with genuine heartfelt concern. The girl nodded slowly, obviously completely taken by Carlos's charm and suave. "I know that this may be the wrong time for this, but did it hurt when you fell from heaven?" He used the best pickup line he had for the specific moment, he had many memorized and was sure one was going to work someday. The girl gave a confused smile and Carlos helped her back up.

"**She wants me; she just doesn't know it yet."** The girl lightly smiled and thanked Carlos for his assistance. "It was my pleasure to Madame! It's just customary for a gentleman to help a damsel in distress!" Carlos picked up the girl's books and handed them to her. "So, what's your name angel?'

"Uhh… Skyla."

"A beautiful name! Any chance we can, oh, I don't know, have dinner together?"

"Oh, ah, I…. can't because I, ah, am busy! Yeah busy."

"Oh well… if you are ever feeling lonely Skyla dear, don't be afraid to give Carlos Del Grove a call if you need…" He let the last words linger and whispered into her ear the last one,"company." Skyla blushed a little as she caught the hidden meaning and scurried off to the next corridor as fast as she could. Carlos leaned against the wall and watch her run, sighed and dreamily, and blew her a kiss saying,

"Te quiero…"

**Justin's POV**

"**My lord… that had to be the most effort I've ever seen anyone try to pickup a girl with… it's not even like this on TV!" **Carlos's….affections were a sight to see and it provided so much distraction in fact that the group had not noticed that they would be late to first period. The group ran through the halls and safely arrived in Professor Oak's room. The three took there seats and relaxed. Justin saw Skyla in the front row and wondered what she must feel like after receiving such a rushed date offer. "**Most likely scared" **is what Justin thought and looked at the board to learn about the earliest connections humans and pokemon made…

**Skyla's POV **

"**That was weird!" **Skyla's initial plan of being the damsel in distress didn't turn out very well. She did not foresee this Carlos person swooping in like a Braviary and showering her in affections. Though the compliments were sweet, his approach was so fast that she had no idea what had gone on! She returned her thoughts to making a new plan, but didn't have any luck. She looked at Justin and knew that she had to catch him alone for a plan to work. She needed to get his undivided attention and she had to come up with an idea soon. "**I could corner him after the bell, nah, not enough time… at lunch! No, he'll be with** **his friends… I guess I'll have to find him after school… wait a minute… I got it!" **She looked deviously at Justin and knew what she was going to do. "**I hope your ready, Justin, cause hear I come!"**

**After school, Justin's POV **

The rest of the day was boring and dry. Professor Juniper's class would be fun if Roxanne didn't answer all the damn questions. Justin and his friends finished their lunches and went to go to their dorms. They walked along till they got to the door leading back inside, when a familiar girl wearing a blue jacket stood by the inner part of the door.

"Skyla darling!" Carlos immediately went to her side and held her hands as if proposing to her, "changed your mind about me?" She was trying to push Carlos away and tried to speak.

"J-Justin can you come up with me to the roof? I-I need your help finding something."

"Why me? Why not Elesa or someone you know?" Justin was confused as to why Skyla was at all talking to him. Elesa may have not told the general public about the "peeping" incident, but he was one-hundred percent certain that Skyla knew about it, she was after all her best friend. So why would the best friend of someone who was spied on want to help the potential stalker? Maybe Elesa didn't tell Skyla that she thought he was the suspect? It was unlikely, but still probable.

"I think it might be something of yours, that's why." She was still resisting Carlos's advances. It seemed harmless and come to think of it he noticed that he misplaced his glasses and that they must be up there! He wanted to grab them before something "else" found them. As he said that he saw his least favorite tree in all the campus rustle and saw hanging from the branch his necklace…

"Okay fine."

"I'll go too!" Ethan walked next to him and so did Carlos, his face having yet another red hand-shaped mark on it.

"No. Alone." Justin saw a tired looking Skyla and sensed a hint of finality in her voice.

"Guys I'll be back soon. Ethan, take care of Carlos if you can."

"No problem man! We'll see you at the dorm. Come on Carlos, let's go back." Ethan managed to get the flailing Carlos out of sight. Justin and Skyla got on the elevator and went up to the roof. Justin remembered the awkwardness he felt yesterday and he could still feel it, as if it lingered like a bad smell. The elevator stopped and the pair got out and went onto the deck.

"So what'd you see up here Skyla?"

"Glasses. Really nice glasses by the way."

"Thanks." The two looked around and searched for the high-tech glasses. Justin searched everywhere and found no sign of his coveted glasses. What if that Murkrow had them?

"Justin look over here!" Justin followed Skyla and she stopped abruptly and was bent over the safety railing. He tried not to look at her as she bent over, but couldn't help it. He was glad he had darker skin, that way no one knew if he was as red as a Tamato Berry. Skyla was reaching quite far over the railing now, pawing for something on the ledge.

"I almost got it! Just a little far-"She was cut off by her sudden fall over the railing, her voice now a scream of terror. She had moved too far over it and now she dangled by one arm on the railing, trying desperately not to lose her grip and fall over a hundred feet below into the rough ocean. "HELP!"

"Hold on!" Justin took off his jacket and tied it around his waist. He slipped a sleeve through the railing and it dangled just in reach of Skyla's free arm. "GRAB IT!"

She grasped the sleeve for dear life and Justin began to pull upwards, using all his strength to pull her up. She lost her grip on the railing and Justin was pulled forward, nearly falling over the ledge himself if he hadn't been bracing himself. He continued to pull up and pulled Skyla safely up the rail. She nearly fell as she climbed over the railing and Justin caught her. She looked up at him with endearing eyes and mouthed the words,

"Thank you." And passed out in his arms.

**Didn't see that coming now did you? Thanks for reading guys, and thank you for your continued support of the story. Tell me what you think by sending a review guys! I really want to get this story out in the open so more people can read it and enjoy it, so if anyone has an idea for me to promote the story, please, PLEASE PM ME! I know that this was an early update, but still expect another update Tuesday guys! Send in OCs, review (please review!), send in suggestions for promoting the story and one more thing… my poor, poor; forum is so empty… won't anyone go to it…ANYONE! Pwetty please! All jokes aside guys, I have started a poll on where you can vote on who is your favorite character so far! ( I know who you're picking Carlos-sama…) Hope you enjoyed the chapter! **

**P.S: "Te queiro" is Spanish for, "I love you" and they say you don't learn things on the internet...**

**-N-Black, Out**


	6. Chapter 6

**N-Black is back with chapter 6! I want to thank all you guys who read this, I just reached over 720 views! It's not a whole lot, but it makes me happy to see all the people reading this story. Last time in the story, Skyla attempted to get Justin's attention, but a near death experience may give her more than she planned… **

** Chapter 6: What Makes a Champion**

Justin remained silent as he laid Skyla down gently on one of the chairs in the rooftop lounge. What had just happened was still fresh in Justin's mind. He wiped his forehead and didn't realize how much energy he exerted until now. His hands were shaking and his knees were wobbly. The adrenaline of the moment was still coursing through him. He sighed and wondered what he should do next. Carrying her was out of the question; not only would it look suspicious, but it he was too weak to actually do it. **"Maybe she'll wake up soon. I'll wait and I'll send a message to Ethan telling him that I decided to go out and walk for a while." **He opened his Xtransceiver and typed in the message. When it was sent he rose from his seat and got some water for himself. He drank, thanking Arceus for the cool refreshment. Several minutes passed and Skyla showed no signs of waking up. He was beginning to grow tired of waiting, but he had to wait, he couldn't just leave her up here by herself. He looked at her and saw that she was breathing regularly and was most likely in a deep sleep. The minutes turned into an hour and now Justin was slowly starting to doze off as well. He continued to fight the feeling, but was drooping every few seconds. If he had slept up here and didn't come back to his dorms, Carlos and Ethan were going to go looking for him. He nearly dozed off, but Skyla's head suddenly fell on his shoulder. She was still resting and now the sunset had become dark and the first stars came out. He looked at Skyla once again, not to check on her, but to just simply look at her. He never really looked at her before, never noticing that she was just as attractive as Elesa. He kept looking at her and he saw her stir in her sleep. She slowly opened one eye and simply looked at Justin with a small smile on her face and settled her head on his shoulder. Justin was a little taken aback by her action and nudged her shoulder lightly. She opened her eyes once again and saw how blue they were. They were like the ocean that he loved to look at so much. He kept gazing into her eyes and forgot everything else.

"Why'd you wake me up?" Skyla finally broke the silence and Justin was brought back to reality. He had blank look on his face and couldn't find anything to say. She smiled slyly and batted her eyes. "Like what you saw?"

"Uh, no, I, ah, we should, um, go back to our, you know, dorms or something…" He didn't mean to fumble on his words. All his concentration was out the window right now. Those blue eyes kept drawing him in and he was desperate to find something else to look at. He picked a spot on the wall behind her head and finally gathered his thoughts. "You've been out for a while; your friends are probably worried about you so we should go back."

"Why didn't you just go?" She displayed false concern in her voice and it was obvious too.

"Well I just thought that I should look after you. It wouldn't be right to leave you up here by yourself after what had happened."

"Oh I see… so what parts of me did you look after?" There was a playful hint in her voice and she had a devious smile on her face.

"W-What?! Nothing like that! No, I wouldn't do that!" She giggled playfully and brought her face close to his. He was breathing fast and his heart was racing.

"Really? Well just so you know… I wouldn't mind if you did." His face was burning hot and he made the mistake of looking into her eyes. He was lost again and he looked at the time just to break eye contact. The clock read 9:00 exactly and he gasped.

"We need to go Skyla! Its curfew!" he rose up out of his seat next to Skyla and made his way to the elevator. He looked back and saw that Skyla had gotten up to; she was still looking at him with a smile on her face. The elevator ride was uncomfortable this time around and he could literally feel the heat coming from Skyla's stare.

"I never got the chance to thank you properly earlier Justin." She walked uncomfortably close to him and wrapped her arms around his arm. "Thanks for saving me." The elevator stopped and they reached the bottom floor. They walked out of the elevator and Skyla let go of his arm. "Oh and this is for you." She handed the pair of fancy shades back to Justin and a smile broke out on his face.

"You managed to grab them! These are special to me, but they aren't worth you risking your life for them."

"It was no problem. Well goodnight." She brought her face to his cheek and lightly kissed it. "You earned it… hero." She ran off towards her dorm and Justin walked back to his, touching the cheek she had kissed…

He arrived at his dorm undetected by the monitors and quietly snuck in. He dimmed the automatic lights so they wouldn't wake up Ethan or Carlos when he walked up to the sleeping quarters. He tiptoed across and stopped by a light suddenly turning on by the desk and a very Stern looking Carlos looking at him. He froze and Carlos continued to look at him. His stare was unnerving and Justin was rooted to the spot.

"You're awfully late."

"There was a, um, setback…"

"What kind of setback?" Carlos still hadn't moved. His friend was obviously very interested about what had made him so late. He didn't want to tell Carlos or anybody what had happened up on the roof, not yet at least.

"Oh well I was trying to, uhhh… get my necklace back!"

"Did you get it?"

"Uh no."

"Are you sure that was what set you back?"

"Positive." There was a chilling silence and Carlos smiled.

"Alright as long as your safe bro!" Carlos got up from the chair and went to bed and started to snore. Justin was relieved that Carlos had believed his story. He yawned deeply and decided he may want to rest as well. He got dressed in his night clothes and went under the sheets. He drifted off and saw in his mind those deep blue eyes…

**Skyla's POV**

Skyla entered her dorm with a dreamy look on her face. Elesa spotted her and looked happy.

"Did your plan work? Is he your friend?" Skyla simply sighed happily and sat on her bedlooking off into space. "Uh Skyla, are you okay?" Lyra shut her Pokegear and smiled.

"More than okay…"

"Looks like someone's plan backfired."

"Backfired what are you talking about? Skyla what happened up there?" Lyra simply chuckled and went to charge her Pokegear. Skyla was too busy thinking about the black-haired boy that had saved her life. She thought that he was good-looking before he saved her, but now after having talked to him and seeing how cute he was when he was teased, she wanted to know more about him. She just kept thinking, even with all the questions Elesa was throwing at her. She didn't care if he was the stalker or not, she simply wanted to be with Justin. She was eager and couldn't wait till tomorrow to speak to the boy dressed in black…

**Justin's POV**

The next three days were uneventful. Classes were normal, there wasn't any news about the "peeping" business, and there was no sign of Silver. Things were so quiet he actually hoped that Silver would start causing trouble so that he could do something. The only thing close to exciting was Battle 101, but Brandon constantly picked on Justin and the other kids counseled by Scott. Scott had talked to Justin about what the counselors do around campus the other day. Scott said that there were four counselors for each group and that there were three groups that the students were split up into. Scott and Brandon counseled the two sections of boys that were brought here based on their battle expertise. Two female professors counseled the girl battlers. The pattern was the same for the coordinators and researchers. The counselors were pretty much just advisors that helped students with making career choices and with school related matters. Other than battling, there was nothing new, Roxanne still avoided him like he had Pokérus and now Skyla wanted to talk to him every second of the day. She wasn't acting all weird like on the roof, but he was still uncomfortable with her friendliness. He carried conversations with her, much to the dismay of Carlos, and she always laughed at his jokes. He always got lost in her eyes and lost all his thought whenever she looked at him in the eyes. Justin's first weekend was going to start in five minutes and he already drew up plans with Carlos and Ethan. Students were allowed to leave the academy and go to the main island on the weekends and spend time there. They decided that they were going to the Pokémon refuge to look at the wildlife and possibly catch some new Pokémon. Their fourth period ended and the three were boarding the ferry back to the main island.

"I wonder what kinds of Pokémon are in that refuge?" Ethan was walking back and forth with anticipation

"Some rare ones hopefully, I want to find some new partners for the team." Justin was excited to go see the Pokémon they had there. The ferry ride was about half-an-hour and soon they were docked on the main island. The three walked onto the crowded street and Justin saw many different facilities. There were many fancy hotels, restaurants, stores, and a huge amusement park. Justin looked at the welcoming sign and saw a familiar person on the board. It was a picture of the same man that had caught Silver and him battling in the habitat enclosure on the first day. The man's full name was Steven Stone and he was the head of the Devon Corporation that had built the island. Stone? Wasn't that Roxanne's last name? This had piqued Justin's curiosity and he made a mental note to make sure that he asked Roxanne about this when they returned. Justin glanced ahead and saw that Carlos and Ethan were busy talking and hadn't realized that they left him behind. He was about to run off when he heard his name being called in the distance. Her looked back and saw Skyla running towards him; she was accompanied by Elesa and a girl he did not recognize. She had a large white hat and blue overalls that ended in the middle of her thigh.

"Hey Justin!" Skyla hugged him unexpectedly and he could see over her shoulder that Elesa looked rather flustered and the girl next to her simply smiled. "Nice to see you over here, oh where are my manners. This is Lyra Elm, she's the daughter of Professor Elm.

"Nice to meet you Justin, I've heard a lot about you."

"All of it good I hope."

"Most of it." She hid a small smile and Skyla walked over to Elesa. She didn't look like she wanted to be here.

"This is Elesa Bolt, though I'm sure you knew that already." Elesa was still looking away from him and Justin was as well. "What's wrong you two? Meowth got your tongues? Say hi!" Elesa extended her delicate hand reluctntly and put on a smile.

"H-Hi Justin." He extended his hand and shook hers.

"Hi Elesa." It was not at all a comfortable experience being around a person who suspects you're stalking them and just saying hi to them.

"Well I'd better leave; I'm going with Carlos and Ethan to go see the refuge." Skyla looked disappointed and pouted.

"Awww! I wish you could go shopping with us. You could have helped me when I was trying something on." Lyra began to chuckle, but Elesa was red now.

"S-Skyla! What are you talking about?"

"Oh don't fuss Elesa; I'm sure he would help you try something on too." Now both Justin and Elesa were turned on Skyla. They both said the same thing at the same time.

"Are you crazy?" Skyla smiled and Lyra was still laughing. Elesa was mad, but more embarrassed than anything. Justin looked around and saw that several people were staring at them. Some were students and others were tourists. Elesa noticed this as well and was turning even redder. Justin gulped and realized that anytime he was around Elesa, awkwardness followed. She turned around and looked at Justin and began to speak.

"Look I'm sorry that we took up your time. We'll just be going-" She was cut off by her sudden loss of balance. Justin looked down and he saw that her high heels had caught a crack in the sidewalk. She fell slightly, but stopped when he caught her. Her head was on his chest and she recovered quickly. Elesa simply started to walk down the other way with her head down and the other two followed, calling her to come back. As Justin made his way out of the crowd he heard snippets of other people's conversations.

"First Skyla and now Elesa!? What does this guy have that I don't?"

"I don't know… he is kind of cute."

"Whew what a lucky guy eh?"

"**Oh great." **Justin sighed and knew that his time in the spotlight wasn't over…

The slight delay in his plans meant that he had to run a good five minutes just to catch up to Carlos and Ethan who were still talking and didn't even notice he was gone. He arrived panting and sweaty.

"Justin why're you so out of breath?" He looked menacingly at the both of them and decided to be a little snarky.

"Oh you know it's just that you guys were too busy talking that you didn't notice that I wasn't with you for the past five minutes. But don't mind me… don't let me interrupt your conversation, by all means continue." He thought that he had made his point clear, but his two friends happily obliged his invitation and continued their conversation that was ironically focused on Justin. They kept on going and Justin hung his head in defeat and walked behind the two chatterboxes. After a few more minutes of Carlos and Ethan's idle conversation and Justin brooding behind them, they finally reached the entrance to the refuge. The refuge was sealed off with an electric fence and Justin could see that it was probably the most thickly forested are on the island. They reached the security outpost and showed the guard their passes and student IDs. The three of them were about to step inside when a familiar voice called them.

"Wait!" The voice belonged to Jaret King, who battled Ethan a few days ago. He was jogging towards them at a leisurely pace and had that same laid back expression on his face. "Hold up you three, I've been looking all over for you." Ethan was waving enthusiastically and had an expression that told Justin he wanted a rematch against Jaret.

"Hey Jaret, why were you looking for us?" He chuckled slightly and looked at the three of them with a smile on his face. His messy brown hair covered up his eyes somewhat.

"You three have been the talk of the academy. You seem to know what's going on so I want to be there when the next big thing happens. I mean there was Justin's battle in the enclosure on the first day, Ethan battling me and nearly winning against the previous trainer of the year, and Carlos facing that red headed guy and showing him how a real trainer battles; good stuff Carlos, you put him in his place. Hope you don't mind if I tag along with you, but it doesn't really matter what your opinion is cause I'm coming whether you want me to or not!" Justin was surprised that Jaret wanted to come with them. He said that they would find the next big thing and he wanted to be a part of it. Justin wasn't too sure that Jaret would want to be a part of their little group for very long since the only thing that seemed to find him was trouble. Nothing good happened to him on the island so far. It was like a cycle of bad luck that just kept repeating.

"Jaret can come right? How does that sound you guys?" Ethan was probably happy that Jaret decided to come along since that meant he could try to get a rematch.

"Cool with me, Justin?" Justin had been thinking and answered with a quick sure, not really paying attention to what was happening. With the approval of all three members, Jaret sprung ahead and took the lead.

"Alright guys follow me and stay close. I know this place like the back of my hand." The four of them moved through the forest and were looking around for any hidden Pokémon. Justin looked around and felt a chill run down his spine. He shivered as he was reminded of the forest in his nightmares. The forest was cold all of a sudden and he was flashes back into his nightmares. The leaves were covered in frost and the grass crunched as he stepped on it. He shook his head and everything was normal again.

"**Not good. Not good at all."** The woods were making him feel quite uncomfortable. He was distracted by the cry of a Pokémon that was behind them. All four jumped to look at the Pokémon and all of them had a pokéball in their hands. Justin saw the small form of an all too familiar Pokémon he loathed. The black Murkrow hopped around the ground and in its beak was his Sharpedo necklace. Justin glared daggers at the bird Pokemon and didn't even bother throwing a Pokémon out. He dove for the Murkrow, but it easily sidestepped him and flew through a small hole in the safety fence that blocked entry into the rest of the island's nature. Justin continued to move after it and enlarged the hole and ran through. Jaret looked confused and walked in as well.

"Must be the next big thing! Come on you two!" The three went through the hole in the fence and did not notice the sign that they walked over that read, "**EXTREME DANGER! DO NOT ENTER!"**

Justin was in hot pursuit and could see the Murkrow land on a branch nearby. He began to scale the tree and felt a surge of déjà vu. This time he managed to pull himself up onto the branch that the Murkrow was perched on. The Murkrow didn't expect him to climb up so easily and was backing away with a look of fear in its red eyes.

"That's right… I got you now!" He made a swipe for the bird, but it hopped up on top of his head and jumped off, making sure to push down on him to make him lose balance. He teetered and eventually fell to the hard forest floor with a thud. "Ow ow ow…" He looked above him and saw that the Murkrow was now several feet above him flapping its wings leisurely and squawking with that eerie laughter. It flew off while Justin lay on the ground defeated. He heard the sound of footsteps and saw Jaret, Ethan, and Carlos knelt down by him.

"You okay?"

"Just Pecha thank you!" He stood back up and realized that they were a good ways from the safety sign now. He face palmed and realized that the Murkrow just wanted him to get lost. "Well we're lost now."

"Yeah, I don't know about this place man. I just know about the regular refuge area." Jaret looked around, puzzled by the new landscape. Carlos stepped forward and spoke.

"We should try and go back." The three of them walked aimlessly through the now even more dense forest and came to a halt by the foot of a steep slope. "Great, how are we going to get out of here?"

"This must be the restricted zone of the enclosure." Jaret peered through the trees and sifted the dirt through his hands, apparently trying to familiarize himself with the new terrain. "They say some crazy strong Pokémon live in here. Most of the Pokémon are tough, but nothing the four of us together couldn't handle, but there is one Pokémon that I don't think we could take down." Ethan looked up at Jaret with a curious expression.

"What kind of Pokémon?"

"I don't know. But whatever it is…" He pointed towards the steep slope behind them, "It made that." Justin wasn't one hundred percent sure that it was the Pokémon he was thinking of, but it was likely. The group turned as they heard a large thud. There was another, and then another. Soon the thudding became thunderous and it was like hundreds of boulders were crashing down behind the steep slope behind them. Then Justin saw it, the sound was a boulder, and soon there was dozens of them all on the slope. One began to slowly roll and the others followed. The four of them stood up and ran as fast as they could, trying to escape the sudden avalanche of rocks that pursued them. Justin ran and ran, but suddenly stopped and fell downwards, his foot getting caught on a root. He fell and saw the boulders coming for him. He was having flashes of his nightmare again. He saw the yellow eyed creature rear its head and roar and charge. His eyes returned back to reality and now he closed his eyes waiting for the impact.

"JUSTIN! NO!" He heard Ethan call to him but didn't matter now…

"GARCHOMP USE HYPER BEAM!" Out of nowhere, a blue shark looking Pokémon landed in front of Justin and let out a bright beam from its mouth. The beam was fired in a line at the rolling boulders and explosions soon took their place. When the smoke cleared, the dozens of rolling boulders were now replaced by knocked Golems. The blue shark let out a mighty roar and turned and looked at Justin's prone form. It let out a grunt and went by the trees. Someone had rescued him from near certain death, and he wanted to know who did it. The shark Pokémon moved away from the trees and revealed a woman dressed all in black with blonde hair that easily went past her waist. She waked forward with a kind smile on her face and knelt down next to Justin surveying his face, she was probably checking for cuts. He looked at hers and saw that she had stormy gray eyes, almost like Silver's, but hers were like the moments before the storm, the quiet peace that came before. Her hair was wavy and she wore a fuzzy black scarf, black button up shirt that showed her belly, sleek form fitting black pants, and a black trench coat. Justin would probably think that she was Giratina, coming to take him to the Distortion World, but since she was tending to any possible wounds he may have, that was obviously not the case. He could hear the distant voices of his friends. They came through the overgrowth and looked ready for a fight.

"Who are you?" Jaret had his hand around a pokéball, as did Ethan and Carlos.

"Relax; I'm not here to hurt you. You walked into the territory of multiple Golems." She pointed to the incapacitated Pokémon and continued to look at the group. The shark-like Pokémon growled softly and she comforted it by petting its neck. Jaret lowered his pokéball and gazed at the woman next to Justin with shock.

"Y-Your C-Cynthia! The Sinnoh League Champion!" Justin did not notice that the woman that was tending to him was a regional champion! He looked at her with awe and stood back up with her help. "What are you doing in the restricted zone?" It was very strange to see that a Pokémon champion was out of her home region, but Justin vaguely remembered her visiting Undella Town.

"I left Sinnoh for a few months to explore the ruins within the mountains here. I heard that no one has ever been inside and I just love studying ancient ruins. I've been everywhere really, The Ruins of Alph in Johto, the Tanoby Ruins in Kanto, and the Abyssal Ruins in Unova. I was going to the top of the mountain when I saw the Golem attack you." Justin was star struck. A real champion was right in front of him and she just saved his life.

"Cynthia?" she turned to look at him with a kind smile, "Thanks for saving me."

"Of course! There's no need to thank me, I'm sure your friends would do the same. Now why don't you all follow me, I'll take you to my campsite. It's just down this way." She began to walk and the four of them followed.

"A better question would be why you four academy students are out here in the restricted zone." She looked back as if to see which one of them would answer. Justin spoke first since it was his fault that they were nearly squashed by Golems.

"Well you see, there was a Murkrow…" She began to chuckle and Justin was reminded of when he first told the story to Carlos and Ethan.

"Say no more. Murkrow are known to lead travelers into dark mountains and get them lost" He felt stupid now. Ethan had said to him earlier in the week that Murkrow were known to be natural troublemakers, but he didn't heed that warning. "Don't feel bad, many before you have been tricked by that Pokémon." They continued their trek in silence and finally reached a large clearing. There was blue lake that glistened with the sun's rays and there was a tent and firewood near to it. "We're here! Make yourselves at home; I don't want to see you go back down there without me." The four of them set their things down and proceeded to lounge. Ethan walked over to the shady spot Justin was sitting under and sat next to him.

"Ethan, what's up?" The boy let his head droop down and he took a deep breath.

"I-I'm sorry!" Ethan had begun to tremble as he spoke. "I'm sorry that we, no, that I couldn't help you back there. Back in New Bark Town, I never went near the tall grass. I was too scared to see a Pokémon. I always ran away from them, and it wasn't just that, it was everything that I didn't know about! I came here to the academy to better myself. I trained hard to get here and I feel like I keep slipping up. I acted like I didn't know what Professor Brandon was mad about because I was scared of him. I've always been a coward and I always hid it by playing dumb just so I could get a laugh out of others to cover up how I really felt!" So Ethan wasn't actually dense, it was all an act to make people think he didn't know what was going on. "But today I realized that I probably won't ever change… I'll always be afraid, no matter how hard I try to fix it!"

"That's not true Ethan! How about when you faced Jaret? You weren't afraid then!"

"That's because I love Pokémon battles. I learned not to fear them after getting Cyndaquil and spending time with it. Battles are my passion, that's how I trained to get here on the island! But I'm still not good enough…"

"Don't belittle yourself like that! It's not true! If you really were a coward then you wouldn't have come to the island in the first place, isn't that right?"

"I don't know…" Justin needed to help his friend. He was the first person that talked to him openly since he came to the island, and in Justin's book, talking to someone you don't know was courageous in of itself.

"Ethan… battle me." His friend's eyes widened and he stood up.

"W-What?" Now Justin stood up as well and looked Ethan dead in the eyes.

"I'll know whether or not you're a coward when you battle me." He looked around and saw that Jaret, Carlos, and Cynthia were watching what was happening.

"Ethan you are not a coward!" Carlos had a reassuring smile on his face. "You're a brave guy, you knew that those Golem were coming in fast and you still turned back to help Justin out." Now Jaret walked forward.

"Ethan, if you were a coward, I would have felt it when we were battling. What I felt was not fear, but the desire to win! You wouldn't have gotten my respect if you were a coward!" Cynthia now walked towards the two of them.

"Ethan, please battle Justin. I want to see what kind of trainers you two are. You two will learn more about each other through it." Ethan relaxed and pulled out his pokéball.

"Let's go Justin!" He had that same confident look he wore when he battled Jaret.

"That's more like it!" Justin took out his own pokéball and enlarged it. He wanted to help his friend, to show him that he wasn't a coward. Ethan called out his Pokémon first.

"Go Phanpy!" The blue elephant like Pokémon stretched out and was ready for battle.

"Go Eevee!" Justin sent out the brown evolution Pokémon and now the two Pokémon locked eyes. "Eevee use Sand-Attack!" Eevee turned around and began to kick sand at Phanpy.

"Phanpy dodge with a Rollout!" Phanpy curled up and dodged the cloud of sand and was now charging for Eevee.

"Eevee use Dig!" The Pokémon dug underground just in time and Phanpy got stuck within the pothole. "Now use Quick Attack!" Eevee jumped out of the hole and hit Phanpy hard, tossing it out of the hole.

"Phanpy you okay?"

"Phan-Phanpy!"

"Alright! Let's use Take Down!" Phanpy now rushed recklessly at Eevee.

"Eevee, Quick Attack!" Eevee easily out sped Phanpy and was now attacking from behind.

"Phanpy use Defense Curl!" Ethan's Pokémon stopped and curled up tightly. Eevee got a hit, but now Phanpy stopped Eevee in its tracks. "Now use Rollout!" The attack hit Eevee like a steamroller and it sent it flying. "Rollout gets stronger after using Defense Curl!"

"Eevee, are you okay partner?" Eevee rose up slowly, but soon got back into position. Out of all Justin's Pokémon, Eevee was the weakest. Eevee was actually just born when he obtained it at the Aspertia Tournament. He wanted a special Pokémon to face Ethan this time around and he was sure that Eevee was relishing the chance to show off. "Okay Eevee, use Trump Card!" Several card shaped projectiles and simply bounced off Phanpy. "Keep using it!" Phanpy continued to dodge the onslaught, but was hit by the fourth attack. This time the difference in power was substantial as now Phanpy was knocked off its feet by it.

"What? It was weak before!"

"Trump Card gets stronger every time it's used!" Justin looked and saw that Eevee was exhausted from all the attacks it had just used and by the damage it has taken. He looked across and saw that Phanpy was in the same condition. "**Just enough for one more attack." **He looked down at Eeveeand it nodded at him. "Eevee use Tackle!"

"Phanpy you too! Use Tackle!" The two Pokémon were gaining speed and collided with each other. They both looked at one another and fell to the ground unconscious. The two trainers picked their Pokémon up and shook hands. There was clapping in the background and Justin saw Cynthia was the one who was doing it.

"Excellent battle you two. You both utilized your Pokémon's strengths to their full advantage. Ethan, you are in sync with your Pokémon, but you are too aggressive in your approach. Don't be afraid to think of your next move, but don't ignore your gut feeling." She turned to Justin now. He was eager to hear what she had to say. "Justin, though we just met today I can feel the potential that you and Ethan have. You are skilled at strategy and can think on your feet. You are able to manipulate the momentum of the battle and turn it to your favor, however I feel like you have something that troubles you and that is what holds back from reaching your full potential. Listen to me all of you! Each one of you is capable of becoming the next great Pokémon Trainers. Everyone has strengths and weaknesses. Learning how to make the best of both, learning how to overcome yourself, and learning how to cooperate with your Pokémon is what it means to be champion! Now, I've said my peace and it is getting late. I believe you have a boat to catch?" Justin looked at the time and it read 7:50.

"Yeah and it leaves in ten frikin' minutes! We got to go now!"

"Don't worry you guys." Jaret walked towards the center and threw a pokéball. It released a Kadabra. "I can just use Teleport and we'll be there in no time at all." The five of them held on to each other as Kadabra's eyes glowed blue. Justin felt a tingling sensation and soon the world was black. He saw the color rush back into sight and they were at the docks.

"Excellent, well I may as well head back to the mountain; no one knows I'm here so please keep my existence a secret." They all nodded and Justin knew that she was more than capable of handling herself. "Oh Justin, can I talk to you for just a quick second?" Justin went back over and stood in front of her. She leaned in and whispered, "Justin would you be interested in me teaching you during the weekends?" Justin felt like he was going to explode from sheer joy. He would be privately tutored by a champion!

"Nope I don't mind at all!" She giggled at his excitement and began to talk again.

"Okay then… meet me here every Saturday and we'll train at the mountain. Oh and by the way, what is your fear? I know you have one, it's what I saw back on the mountain when you were battling." He gulped slightly and began to speak.

"I have, um, stage fright…" He expected her to laugh at his petty fear, but instead she just nodded.

"A common fear and it's nothing to be ashamed of. I have a solution that I can tell you right now, but first another question… How are you with girls?" The question completely caught him off guard and he couldn't answer. "Okay how about if I rephrase that, do you have a girlfriend? Are there any girls you like?" He still couldn't find an answer. She simply giggled again and sighed. "Okay, okay, I probably threw you off there… do me a favor when you go back to school. Look around and look at the girls who are in your school. One sure way to measure a man's confidence is seeing how they carry themselves around women. Can you do that for me?"

"Y-Yeah." He understood what she had said, but he was just completely thrown out of the loop with her plan.

"Alright you better get going. I'll see you next week in the morning okay?" She smiled and ruffled his hair. He ran back to the ferry that was just about to leave and now he was anxious to tell his friends the news. His friends… he would never take them for granted!

**Hey Chapter 6 is FINISHED! I apologize that my updates are late in the day; school prevents me from uploading earlier. Anyways I'll just say the usual, review, share, send in OCs, and vote on the new poll! Another update on Friday and I'll see you then! N-Black Out!**


	7. Chapter 7

**N-Black is back with a new chapter for Pokémon Academy for you! So Justin and co. just wandered into the restricted zone of the Pokémon Refuge, where they met the Sinnoh League Champion Cynthia. Cynthia has agreed to help Justin overcome his fears… by talking to girls! Without further ado here's chapter 7!**

**Chapter 7: Face your Fears**

The weekend was drawing to a close now and Justin prepared himself for tomorrow's lessons. He reorganized all his school items and decided he should sleep early. He laid down on his bed and gazed at the ceiling. His first weekend was full of adventure and excitement, everything he had hoped the academy would be. He looked back at his first week and remembered meeting Ethan on the ferry and battling against Silver. He remembered the "peeping" incident and saving Skyla. Though most of everything was bad, it was exciting. He remembered meeting Cynthia and hearing her offer to train him…

"_Listen Justin, a surefire way to gauge a man's confidence is seeing how he carries himself around women…" _

After he told his friends the news, they all looked dumbfounded. It was an entertaining sight to see and he laughed while they struggled to comprehend that he was going to be trained by a Pokémon Champion. That happy thought was washed out of his mind and replaced with his nightmare. He tensed just thinking about it and for the first time in five years, he decided to look back at that moment…

_He was in the woods once again and he returned to where he last remembered what had happened. The creature with yellow eyes charged the tree he cowered under. His eyes were closed and he awaited his demise. Instead there was a loud crash that sounded like it was in front of him. He opened his eyes and saw that the creature was being fought back by three Pokémon. The three pokemon each had horns, one was blue with great long yellow horns, another was brown with horns pointing forward like that of a Tauros, and the other was green and was elegant looking, it had green horns that went to the sides. The creature fell back to where it came from and the trio of horned Pokémon looked back at him. He sat there in fear and awe of what just happened and was waiting for the trio's next move. Were they going to attack him? The three Pokémon simply turned away and dashed off with blinding speed in separate directions, leaving the small ten-year old alone in those forsaken woods…_

He opened his eyes and sighed. He was saved then and there by three Pokémon he had no knowledge of. They were the reason he became a trainer. He wanted to help his Pokémon grow and become some of the strongest Pokémon in the world. One day he wanted to meet the Pokémon that saved him and show them that he didn't forget their actions that night. His thoughts were expelled when Ethan burst into the room and talked so fast that he could barely understand what he was saying

"Justin! Carlos! Oh my Arceus! You need to listen to me! There was a flyer on the bulletin board and the tournament and…"

"Ethan slow down! I can barely understand you." Ethan took a deep breath and exhaled.

"Okay, there was an announcement posted on the school bulletin board and it had a flyer that said that it was coming up." Justin was intrigued, but Ethan wasn't being specific.

"What is **it** exactly?"

"You know, the tournament that the academy will be hosting, the world famous Academy Tournament!" The Academy Tournament was going to be held soon? Justin's seen the battles on TV and they were just as exciting as the professional battle circuit.

"When is it going to be held?" This tournament was important because this is where students could get scouted into the pros! Some of the all-time greats were scouted from this very competition and made themselves legends.

"The preliminaries are going to be held in three months during the beginning of the winter season." Three months' time and Justin could be in that tournament and battle against some of the best young trainers in the world! The tournament gathered all the best trainers from various schools and they battled for prestige, respect, and a grand prize. He could picture it now, him facing one of the strongest trainers, the lights illuminating the battlefield, the chanting and cheers from the massive crowd that has assembled to watch him… wait a minute. He would have to battle with about 10,000 people watching him. Damn. Not only that, but there would be possibly a million others watching on TV… double damn.

"Ethan you mentioned a flyer?"

"Oh yeah." He pulled out a crumpled piece of paper that had the Academy's logo on it. Justin unfolded it and read silently.

_**"Pokémon Academy will be hosting the famous Academy Tournament! Battle for glory and a grand prize! Entries will be accepted within the next week. The final day to submit applications for the preliminary rounds will be next Friday. Entries will only be accepted by third and fourth year students." **_

Justin felt relieved and disappointed all at the same time. He was relieved that he would have at least two more years before he could participate so that he could get over his ridiculous stage fright, but at the same time he felt disappointed because he wouldn't be able to actually try and partcipate for another two years.

"Oh well…" he tossed the paper into the trash and Ethan looked at him apprehensively.

"Why'd you do that?"

"Because we can't enter until we're third or fourth-years." Ethan looked crushed and sat on his bed. "It's only because that's the time students are usually watched by the scouts. I think it's completely unfair." He left Ethan alone since he would need some space and went to the bathroom door and checked on Carlos. He had been in there for at least thirty minutes and Justin was wondering if everything was okay. He knocked on the door and there was no response. He tried again and got the same result. He put his ear to the door and heard the distinct sound of snoring. Justin chuckled and decided to leave him be till morning. Ethan was dressed for bed and he promptly laid down. Justin laid on his bed and stared at the ceiling once again.

"What's up with Carlos?"

"Oh he fell asleep on the can." They both started to laugh and Justin yawned deeply. He felt like all the week's stress and tiredness washed over him in that single instant. He closed his eyes and saw in his eyes the bright lights and the people chanting his name in victory…

Justin woke up to the sound of Ethan's blaring alarm. He nearly fell out of bed and had to grab the sheets just to keep on his bed. He got out of his bed and went to knock on the bathroom door to see whether or not Carlos was in there. He couldn't hear any snoring so he opened the door to see that the bathroom was empty. Justin assumed that Carlos was out running and would be back shortly. He washed up and put on his school clothes. He walked out to see Ethan zipping up his jacket and grabbing all his things. Justin looked out of the window and saw that it was cloudy and dark. Winter was still three months away and it was already looking cold. Something about the clouds bothered him, but he couldn't figure out why. He shook off the feeling and grabbed his bag. He picked up his Xtransceiver and it said that he had a new message. He opened it up and saw that it was from the school; it had the title "URGENT" so Justin opened it quickly. The message stated that all students should report to the auditorium and that there was going to be a major announcement relating to the Academy Tournament.

"Ethan check this out!" Ethan bustled over and read the message. His expression grew to excitement and he happily smiled. "Why are you so happy? I thought you were depressed about it?"

"The announcement might be a change in the rules! They could allow us to compete!" Ethan's idea was unlikely, but his optimism rubbed off on Justin ever since he met him so he has gotten into the habit of getting his hopes up. He secretly hoped that they would change the rules as well. However he wouldn't know what to do if it did happen. Would he sign up or would stay away from it because of his stage fright?

"**No! Not this time! I entered the Aspertia City Tournament and won the whole thing when I thought I would lose the first match! I'm going to get over it this time!" **He silently reassured himself that he could do it and was thankful that Cynthia decided to help him overcome his fear. Carlos entered the room and had his usual smile on his face.

"I heard the news! I wonder what it'll be about?"

"Well we won't know unless we get down there, so let's get ready." At Justin's words the group got all their things prepared and assembled relatively quickly. They all shivered with anticipation at the announcement that would be given soon. As soon as everyone had all their things, the group left the dorm and walked briskly down the halls. Every student in the academy was outside of the auditorium and were all chattering excitedly. Justin took the time to follow Cynthia's directions and observe the girls in the area. He felt a little awkward doing this because if he usually looked at a girl it was to just look at them, not look at them for "studying" purposes. He saw many familiar faces that were in his year. He knew most of the girls' names from hearing the role. He saw a fire headed girl he knew as Flannery, a preppy girl in what appeared to be some sort of sports uniform whose name was Whitney, a girl with short black hair quietly reading a book named Sabrina, a rather mean looking girl with blue and black clothes named Clair, and the last one he could see through the crowd a girl with pigtails in a blue and white checkered shirt and short brown skirt named Candice; it was unlikely that he would talk to one of them, they weren't his type and besides he wasn't the best at just starting up conversations, he would usually just freeze up and look blankly into space. He was reminded of Roxanne and he remembered that he was going to ask Roxanne about her last name since it was the same as Steven's. He searched, but found no sign of her anywhere. He ended his search and continued to silently wait. A few minutes passed by and the doors finally opened, revealing the grand auditorium. The students bustled about like Mareep and some of the professor's and staff were shepherding them into their seats. Justin and his friends all found their seats and were awaiting the announcement. The bustling quieted down as Professor Oak, Steven, a man in a cowboy suit, and surprisingly Roxanne took the stage. What was she doing up there? His thoughts were swept away as professor Oak began to speak.

"Good morning students! I'm sure you're all well aware that the Academy Tournament will be held here this year!" There was an enthusiastic cheer from the crowd and they settled once again. "I called this assembly because I wanted to clarify a few things. The tournament will not take place here on the actual academy, but on the main island in the famous Pokédome! Steven Stone, our academy's benefactor and the heir to Devon Corporation, would like to tell you more about the tournament itself." Professor Oak stepped down from the podium and now Steven stood there with a charismatic smile.

"Greetings students of Pokémon Academy! I'm here to tell you about the wonderful opportunity you all have by participating in this tournament and how it will benefit you're future. As many of you may know, there are talent scouts that attend this event in hopes of finding a talented young trainer to put into the competitive battling circuit. Getting discovered could change your life. I helped build this academy with Clay, the CEO of the Driftveil Supply Conglomerate, to give you this very chance." Steven pointed to the man in the cowboy wear and understood why that man was dressed like that. Justin heard that the CEO of that company was a bit out of the ordinary, but he also heard that he was a great business man, not only that, but he was the Gym Leader too. His gaze lingered and he looked at Roxanne. She was cool and composed, not at like how she was whenever he tried to talk to her. Justin still didn't understand why she kept acting like this and whenever he asked Carlos about it he just avoided the subject. Steven finished his speech and now let Roxanne take the podium.

"Hello fellow students." She had confidence in her voice and was very similar to Steven when she spoke. "I am proud to tell you all that Devon Corporation and Driftveil Supply Conglomerate will be sponsoring the tournament this year. The winner of this tournament will win a generous sum of prize money and the students of the school that they represent will receive a free three day vacation here on the island! The students and faculty of the school can visit any and all attractions without paying a single cent! Thank you for your attention, my brother and I hope to keep the good name of the Devon Corporation intact." So they were siblings then. Justin didn't really believe it; they didn't look like family at all. Roxanne stepped down and Professor Oak took the podium once again.

"Thank you Steven and Roxanne, now to clarify the rules of entry. There was a typo on the flyer that some of you may have picked up yesterday." Justin was listening intently and he could see out of the corner of his eye that Ethan was as well. Professor grabbed the flyer out of his pocket and scanned it. "Ah here it is. The final submission date is not next Friday; it is on the Friday after that. Now remember that only third and fourth-years are eligible for entry and I apologize to you who cannot participate, we only do this because scouts are looking for students of that grade level and also because earlier years lack experience. Thank you for your time and enjoy your day." The speech was now over and while everyone was leaving, Justin and Ethan remained in their seats. Justin felt like his previous excitement was deflating like a balloon and was instead being replaced with frustration. He got up and walked out without Ethan or Carlos. He went through most of the day feeling gloomy and flustered. By the end of his third class, he had simmered down a little bit and was now talking to Carlos and Ethan. They were in Pokémon Habitats and their agenda on the board included a lecture on the various Pokémon that live in the Hoenn region. The three set their books down and talked about their last class. Ethan still looked a little glum, but was getting a little more like his usual self as time went on. The final bell rang and the class fell silent. Professor Birch grabbed the role sheet and began to call out names. About a quarter of the way into the role, there was a knock on the door. Professor Birch walked over and opened the door. Justin turned his attention from the jokes Carlos was making to the person who walked in the classroom. It was a thin girl with a slender figure and straight black hair that went down to her lower back. Some of her hair partially covered her left eye. She wore black skin-tight jeans and combat boots. She wore a black button up shirt with a collar that had a few patches that looked like they were sewn together. The shirt had no sleeves and was tucked into her jeans. From what Justin could see from his seat, she had light skin and he spotted a studded choker around her neck. He continued to watch her with wide eyes, the various conversations around him seemed to disappear and he focused solely on the girl who was now walking up the steps. She carried two books and finally walked up to a distance where Justin could see her face. There was no expression on her face and she sat quietly next to Justin. He continued to gape at her and she turned to look at him, her eyes were sea green and contained no emotion in them, but he could feel them pierce his mind like a spear. He quickly noticed that he was still staring at her and he whipped his head around to look at the board. He looked out of the corner of his eye and saw that she was opening her notebook and was paying no attention to him. The lecture went on, but Justin was missing large chunks, his mind would concentrate on the lesson and then it would wander off to think about the girl that sat next to him. When the bell rang, it snapped Justin out of his trance and he half-mindedly put his things away, still having that same dreamy expression. The girl walked down the steps and Justin was watching her again. Carlos noticed that he was zoned out and waved his hand in front of Justin's face and got no response.

"Helllllooooooo! Anyone home?" Carlos turned and looked at Ethan and shrugged. "Justin?"

"Huh…" He answered in a far off voice. He only heard someone whisper his name then he felt a tap on his shoulder and turned to look at Carlos and Ethan. "What?"

"What were you looking at?" Carlos looked down and noticed the girl that walked down the steps. He started to laugh and pointed at Justin and smiled.

"What's so funny?"

"You're turning into more of a ladies man than me dude! There's Roxanne, Elesa, Skyla, and now this new girl too!" As he said the names he was counting on his fingers and then he gave an impressed whistle. "Man you got to save some for us! With you around, no girl is safe!" Carlos walked down and kept laughing.

"I don't get what's so funny…" The group was outside as usual and had just finished their lunches. Justin looked around through the lenses of his glasses and saw the girl from his last class. He was hoping no one would notice him staring, but Carlos once again found him out.

"Still looking at that girl?" He turned his head in surprise and he knew that his quick response gave Carlos his answer. "Go over there and talk to her man. Just be cool." He reluctantly got up and went to go throw away his trash. He chucked the garbage out and approached the new girl that had captivated his attention. His palms were sweaty and his heart was beating tenfold. He felt a tingling sensation in his stomach; it felt like someone let loose a cage of Butterfrees in there and he realized how nervous he was.

"**Oh Arceus what am I doing?!**" He looked back at Carlos and Ethan and saw that they were giving him thumbs up for good luck. He gulped and kept walking over to the mysterious girl. She was leaning against the wall in the shade of his most hated tree and was reading: he hoped that Murkrow wouldn't interfere. As he got closer, he thought of Cynthia and her instructions. He told himself that he was doing this to get over his fear, but he wasn't afraid he was just nervous. He stood next to her and if she knew he was standing there, she wasn't showing it. He was scrambling for something to say and just thought of a simple conversation starter.

"H-Hi…" He received no response from her. He decided to keep going. "So is this your first day?" Once again no response. Was she ignoring him? Was he just a pest to her, a waste of her time? He struggled mentally as to whether or not he should continue and decided to keep going. His heart was really racing now and he took a breath in and out to relax himself. His mouth was dry, but he managed to get a few words out. "I-I'm Justin… what's your, uh, name?" He waited… and waited… and waited, but still no response. His nervousness was now replaced with irritation; he couldn't believe that this girl had the audacity to just ignore him as if he weren't there. Then she brushed her hair back behind her ear and revealed the ear buds within them, no doubt blasting music to the point of which she couldn't hear any outside noise. He looked at the ear buds and face palmed and rubbed his head with his shirt. He walked back to his friends and placed his head down on the cool surface of the table. Carlos nudged his shoulder and asked,

"So how'd it go?" Justin answered, his voice muffled by the table.

"Bad."

"Oh… sorry man." Justin felt so embarrassed. All he wanted to do now was go on top of the roof and yell at the ocean as loud as he could. However he didn't go up there,he didn't have the will to, he wanted to sleep and dream, to escape reality for the day, even if it did mean reliving his nightmares. Just as he was sulking, a soft voice said his name. He looked up and saw the mysterious girl looking at him with no expression in her face.

"You're Justin right?" Her voice tickled his ears. She sounded mature, but still slightly girlish. He nodded his head slowly in response. "I think this is yours." She handed him his ID card and he wondered how he lost it. He went back to when he was talking to her and remembered his face palm. He remembered that he wiped his face and that the ID most likely came loose as he was wiping because it was attached by a small clip.

"T-Thanks."

"Don't mention it." She began to walk off and Justin called back to her.

"Wait!" She turned and looked at him with her piercing green eyes. "What's your name?" She looked down and Justin guessed that she was thinking of whether or not she should answer. She looked back up at him and said in her silky voice,

"Carmen."

**Far Away in Unova…**

A man walked down an empty corridor of his base of operations and entered a dark room that was illuminated by many screens and in front of them was a man in a large chair siting behind a desk, his back turned because he was looking at the multiple screens. The man did not turn nor speak when the other walked in.

"How is everything going? According to plan I presume?" The other man walked into the light partially and only his white lab coat was visible.

"Yes. The plan is working smoothly. I cannot wait to see the true power of these trainers!"

"You will have time for your science later, what matters is the mission, or have you forgotten that?"

"Of course I remember, that's what I signed up for."

"And you will follow your orders to the letter or else. I have waited for this moment for two years and I will not see it spoiled by anyone. Be gone, leave me be."

"Very well." The man in the chair sighed and looked at the screens.

"Soon, the world will be mine…" He continued to gaze at one screen showing a dark haired girl speaking to a boy with brown skin and wavy black hair sitting with two others. The man cackled wildly and silence fell in the dark skies of Unova…

**HOLY WHACK GUYS! ANOTHER CHAPTER D-O-N-E! Well it looks like someone has snagged Justin's attention, how will others who care about him react? Who is this mysterious person laughing into the night? And how will the Justin and the others cope about the tournament? Thanks for reading you guys! Don't forget to fav and review! Send in OC's, suggestions, check out the forum, and vote on the new poll: What will Eevee evolve into? Special apology to Tbroome535 for not getting back to you right away! I'm sorry bro! Anyways, I hope you enjoyed the chapter and check in on Wednesday for the new chapter! **

**-N-Black**


	8. Chapter 8

**N-Black is back with a new chapter for you guys and boy is the story racking up the views. I'm proud to say that my views have doubled from 700 last week to a whopping 1500, thank you guys for your continued support and for reading the story! Anyways when we last left off, Justin meets Carmen, Evil baddie wants to do something inexplicably evil, and there's going to be a tournament! Without further delay, here's chapter 8! **

** Chapter 8: Promises and Obligations**

Carmen, Carmen, Carmen! Justin couldn't get her out of his head no matter how hard he tried! He just talked to her once and he acted like a complete fool every time he was around her. He fumbled his words, was clumsy and couldn't look at her in the eyes without all the above happening all at the same time. What made it worse was that she was in each of his classes and she was always within his immediate area. Despite all the weird things that were happening to him, he still managed to get through the week without any major incidents and now he was prepping for his first training session with Cynthia. He wondered what kind of training he would go through, but decided to let it be a surprise. He walked down the main atrium and went to a nearby water fountain to quench his thirst. Before he put his head down to take a sip he heard someone calling his name. He turned and looked into the direction of the noise and saw that there was a person in yellow clothing running towards him.

"Justin! Hold on!" Elesa came to a halt and was breathing hard. What did she want from him? As far as he could tell, she hadn't tried to spy on him to find out about the "peeping" incident, but she still didn't seem comfortable around him. She usually had good presence because of her modeling background, but she wasn't at all like that around him, she was almost as bad as Roxanne!

"What is it Elesa?"

"Remember last week when you decided not to come with Skyla to go shopping."

"Yeah, but you were going to right?"

"That's beside the point!" She answered fairly quickly and realized that she was rather forceful and calmed down. "Anyways… do you… oh I don't know…"

"Do I want to what?" Elesa seemed to struggle with saying the last words and was now fidgeting with her earphones.

"Do you want to go out…" Justin coughed and heat flushed his cheeks. "With me and Skyla tomorrow to go look around at the stores?" Justin breathed a sigh of relief and rubbed his temples. He really believed that she just asked him out! He thought her offer over and didn't see anything wrong with it.

"Yeah sure I guess." Elesa seemed to relax as well and lightly smiled, her regular confidence restored suddenly.

"Promise?"

"Promise."

"Okay then. We'll meet at the clock tower in the central plaza at about three okay?" Justin nodded and Elesa walked off to her dormitories and left Justin wondering why she asked him so suddenly…

**Elesa's POV**

Elesa silently laughed in her head at the success of her plan. She set the hook and Justin took the bait like a hungry Magikarp. All she had to do was make it seem like she wanted to go out on a date with him and that left him vulnerable for just the few moments necessary to get him to agree. She entered her room and sat on her bed. Skyla came out of the bathroom and was drying her hair.

"So did he say yes?" Elesa nodded and a blush came out of Skyla's cheeks. She liked him a lot. Even before Justin saved her life, she always talked about him. She would go on and on about how much she liked how he dresses and his whole bad boy appearance and after he saved her that only furthered her small crush into full-fledged infatuation. Now she would talk about his apparent soft side and how he really was a good guy. It was tiring to listen to sometimes, but she endured it for her friend's wellbeing. Elesa once asked Lyra what she thought of it all and she simply said that love is something that can't be forced; it has to be nurtured like a baby Pokemon and slyly winked at her when she said that. It left Elesa feeling more confused than before, but she shrugged it off. Her plan was working well and now she was on the path of figuring out if Justin was the peeping tom. She laid down and closed her eyes, awaiting tomorrow, however, she felt that same bad feeling again, but ignored it and snoozed until the new day…

** Justin's POV**

Justin awoke the next morning feeling refreshed and well rested. He didn't tell Carlos or Ethan what happened yesterday, he simply said that he was going to be training with Cynthia and that was all he would be doing. Carlos seemed to see through his wall of defenses and teased Justin about Carmen. Every time Carlos teased him it made him feel embarrassed.

"You sure you aren't going to see Carmen or something?"

"I already told you that I don't like her!"

"Right that's why you always lose all focus as soon as you see her."

"T-That's not true…"

"Carmen and Justin sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G!" Even Ethan was singing along and now Justin was getting annoyed. He picked up his gear and left the room, making sure to slam the door extra hard. He walked to the atrium and went to the docks, all the while still fuming about his friends' immature behavior.

**"I don't like her! I barely even know her!" **He continued to keep convincing himself about not liking Carmen when he bumped into her at the docks. She turned with a fierce glare and relaxed when she saw it was him.

"Oh it's just you." She looked at him with a face that displayed boredom and Justin quickly spoke up.

"Oh, uh, H-Hi…" He silently cursed at his fumble and returned his attention to Carmen.

"Justin right?"

"Yeah, thanks for giving me my ID back the other day, I've been getting into a habit of losing things as of late."

"I told you don't mention it."

"No, but really thanks…" She turned her head around sharply and gave Justin a look that made him be quiet. The ferry's horn blew and Justin boarded the ship along with Carmen and many others. Justin took the opportunity to speak with her, maybe learn more about her. "So, uh, what are you going to do at the main island?"

"None of your business." She didn't look at him when she talked.

"Oh, uh, well… where are you from?"

"If I told you that was a tedious question would you understand what I mean? I didn't think so." She pulled a black book from her bag and placed her ear buds in he ears. He took this as the sign to leave. He got to the upper decks and looked out into the ocean to pass the time. He looked down into the sea and saw numerous Pokemon swimming away from the speeding ferry. He was enjoying the peace and quiet until a pair of hands covered his eyes.

"Guess who!" Justin already knew who it was and couldn't help but smile at Skyla's child-like antics.

"Hi Skyla." She removed her hands and instead placed them around his neck and rested her head on his shoulder.

"Looking out into the ocean huh?"

"Yeah, just looking at it."

"Sorry if I sound nosy Justin but, why don't you look ay me like you do the ocean?"

"Sorry I don't quite understand what you mean Skyla."

"You look at the ocean like it's the most beautiful thing in the world. Why don't you look at me like that?" Justin understood now and he was scrambling for an answer to her unexpected question. "Maybe you don't look at me like that because you already have a girlfriend…"

"N-No I don't have a girlfriend! I've never had one! I've never even kissed a girl before!" He didn't mean to say those last two parts, but it slipped and got Skyla's attention.

"You've never kissed a girl?" He expected her to laugh and leave him there feeling embarrassed, but she did quite the opposite; instead she tightened her grip around him and gazed at him with her blue eyes. "Well then…" Her face was close to his and now she whispered her words into his ears. "That's not going to stay that way for long." She leaned in closer to his face and he pulled away at first, but then slowly accepted the action. They were about to connect when the ferry horn blew. The sudden noise broke their embrace and now they were just looking at each other rather awkwardly.

"Uh sorry Justin, I have to grab my things." With that she ran down below the decks and left Justin there feeling bewildered.

"**What was I doing? No, what was Skyla doing?**" After he left the ship, he looked at the time and it read twelve 'o' clock. He had three hours to train with Cynthia before he left to go with Skyla and Elesa. He looked around for Cynthia but she was nowhere to be seen.

"Psst. Over here!" He heard a voice that sounded like Cynthia's and he turned to see her in a tourist disguise. She wore black sunglasses, a straw hat, a tropical design shirt, khaki short shorts, and her long blonde hair was tied into a ponytail. "Justin I'm over here!" He nodded to her and she walked toward him. She pulled out a camera and stood next to him. She took a picture and smiled.

"What's with the getup?"

"Can't let the media know I'm here, remember?"

"Right, so when do we start training?"

"We're going now, so don't dilly-dally!" She broke off into a run and Justin ran after her. They neared the refuge gate before she finally stopped. Justin caught up to her and was now panting with exertion. Cynthia seemed fine and stretched herself out. "Alright, let's go! We're burning daylight so let's get a move on!" She began to run again and Justin followed her through the dense forest to the campsite she had set up. He sat down and regained his breath. Cynthia went inside of her bag and pulled out her regular black clothes. Much to Justin's surprise, Cynthia was changing right before him. He shielded his eyes and yelped. Cynthia turned around and giggled deviously. "I see that you aren't comfortable with me changing in front of you."

"Of course I'm not! Why'd you do that?"

"Because I'm used to being by myself out here and I wanted to see whether or not you were comfortable around a woman simply dressing herself. It's just a little skin, it won't bite, and besides, I do have clothes underneath these you know." Justin felt heat rise to his cheeks, some of it was embarrassment and the other was frustration. He forgot that she wanted to see how he acted around women, and he obviously failed. "Don't get mad about it. You aren't used to it, but you'll learn. But rambling about self-confidence will get you nowhere now will it? You just completed the first part of your training."

"I did?" Justin looked up cautiously to check if Cynthia was fully clothed

"Yes. I tested your physical endurance with the run over here and now it's time for part two."

"Part two?"

"Call out your Eevee if you would." He did as commanded and released Eevee. It happily wagged its tail and saw Cynthia. It ran over to Cynthia and she petted it behind its ears. "A trainer and their Pokemon should always be together. Both should share each other's burdens. It's important for the trainer to be just as strong as the Pokemon and vice versa, so you'll be training alongside your Pokemon Justin."

"So you mean I'll be doing what they'll be doing?"

"Precisely, now your first task will be to beat me in a foot race."

"But I just ran all the way to the docks to here!" She pointed at a steep slope that reached the top of a hill.

"That's where we'll be running to. You and Eevee will be running together and I'll give you a head start. How's that sound?" Justin looked towards Eevee and it nodded to him and ran to his side, determination glinting in its small eyes.

"Alright Cynthia. We'll do it!"

"Good! Get going then." The pair began to run up the slope, avoiding trees, rocks, and other natural roadblocks along the way. Justin glanced at Eevee and saw that it was doing fine. They kept going, but now the incline of the slope was starting to affect him. Every step he took made his legs feel like slabs of metal and he had trouble steadying his breathing. He looked back and saw that Cynthia still wasn't anywhere to be seen. Had she had trouble ascending the slope? Justin was close to the finish line now, but he knew Cynthia wouldn't make it this easy on him. He continued to push on, but Eevee seemed to reach its limit. Its small legs gave out and it collapsed on the uneven surface. Justin ran over to it and picked it up.

"You'll be alright buddy, just hold on." Now he carried Eevee's weight as well as his own as he continued to climb upwards. Justin was reaching his limit as well and considered sitting down to rest, but he expelled the idea and spurred onwards. He wouldn't quit now, he wanted to show Cynthia that he was devoted and that he was worth taking the time to train. He stumbled and fell to a knee. As he returned to his feet, he heard a familiar sounding roar. He turned his head around and heard the earth shake and saw come out of the woods, Cynthia's Garchomp. Justin picked up speed and ran as fat as he could, the pain in his legs replaced by adrenaline. He kept going and now Garchomp was at his side. He glanced at its back and saw Cynthia riding it.

"Hey that's not fair!"

"It's a shame really… You were so close too. You should have worked harder."

"And what do you call this!?"

"Hmmm… I call it cheating! Ta-ta Justin!" She winked and now Garchomp overtook him and ran up the slope in a flash. After several more minutes of arduous climbing he made it to the top to find Cynthia there taking nap. He set Eevee down gently and fell on the soft grass of the hill. Cynthia awoke and gave out a content yawn.

"Oh I was wondering when you'd get here. You shouldn't leave a lady waiting you know." At these words, Justin looked at his clock and the time read 2:45. He gasped and sat upright. "Well let's try this again, maybe you'll win this time, after all, I am tired from my nap."

"Uh Cynthia… I need to go." She looked at him with confusion.

"Why?"

"I have other… obligations…" She still looked slightly confused, but then she smiled.

"I see… alright then, the walk down here and back to the city will be more than enough for you today. Go on then, go take care of your "obligations" and I'll see you next Saturday at the same time okay?"

"Yes most definitely. I'll make up for it next week."

"Of course you will, now go on." Justin returned Eevee and walked down the slope once again, cringing with every step. Cynthia remained there at the top of the hill and began to laugh. "**He'll be fun to teach. Obligations… such a big word to just say, "I have a date!**"

**The Clock Tower in the central plaza, 3:30 PM**

Justin ran, he didn't care about the searing pain in his legs at all; the only thing that mattered was the amount of pain he was going to endure once he reached his destination. How could a clock tower be so hard to find? He got lost two times and now he was half an hour late for his shopping trip with the girls. He saw the entrance to the central plaza and walked in through the east gate. The central plaza had a sort of timeless feel to it. Unlike the academy, the plaza was made of bricks and plaster. The courtyard was embellished with beautifully trimmed hedges and there were many people walking about with smiles on their faces. The plaza had that sort of atmosphere that makes everyone happy. He felt all the exertion of his trip wash over him like a splash of water. He slumped against a wall and sat down trying to catch his breath and sooth his aching legs. His legs felt like a Beedrill had stung it and then it called its friends to do so as well. He continued to rub his now sore legs and heard a familiar sounding voice not to far away from him. He peered over through the corner and saw Skyla pacing and Elesa sitting on a wooden bench.

"He's really late. I wonder if he's okay."

"I'm sure he's fine Skyla, maybe he decided not to come."

"But he promised! Oh I don't know what to do!" He felt bad now. He didn't want to reveal that Cynthia was on the island and that she was training him, so he had to come up with a different story. He looked back and saw that Skyla looked genuinely sad. He felt guilty for making her feel bad. He came up with an idea and waited for the perfect opportunity.

"We should get going Skyla. If we sit here all day we won't get any shopping done." Skyla sniffled and got up.

"You're right! Let's go." However Justin could see the hesitation in Skyla's face. She finally started to walk with Elesa and Justin got onto his feet, struggling do to his soreness, and walked around to blend in with the crowd. He trailed the two of them until they stopped and stepped into a store. He got out of the mass of people and went inside the store. The store contained numerous selections of very expensive clothes and he saw Skyla and Elesa looking through them. He waited and the two of them separated. He walked quietly towards Skyla and placed his hands over her eyes and said, "Guess who."

She pulled his hands off slowly and now Justin's initial sense of happiness of surprising her was replaced by dread. She turned and looked slowly at Justin; she was examining him as if he were an interesting Pokemon. She placed her hand on his face and ran her hands through his hair. He looked at her with many mixed emotions; he couldn't tell what she was thinking. Then suddenly he was pulled into a tight hug.

"You came…"

"Of course! I promised didn't I?" He attempted to get out of the hug, but she kept a firm hold on him.

"Why were you late?"

"I had other, uh, obligations to attend to." She looked at him sternly and asked,

"What kinds of obligations?" Once more he shifted around to try and get out of her embrace, but she held it even more tightly then before.

"Uh, well I had to make sure my Pokemon were, uh, in good health you know! It's my responsibility as a trainer to see that their taken care of."

"Alright, but don't be late next time! It's rude to keep a lady waiting." She smiled rather seductively and brought her head close to Justin's. "Now where were we on the ferry?" She once again brought her lips close to his. He tensed and felt rather trapped, but once again he let himself relax.

"Skyla could you help me out in here?" Skyla froze and Elesa poked her head out through the door and then realized Justin was there. "Oh hey Justin, you came after all!" Justin saw Elesa's eyes shift toward Skyla's arms that were still wrapped around him. "I-I'm sorry… I hope I didn't interrupt anything."

"N-No not at all Elesa! Here let me help you out, Justin we'll be out in a few minutes?" Justin could see that Skyla was red with embarrassment and he nodded. The door closed and he sat down on the floor. He put his head in his hands and let himself rest, he knew that there was going to be more walking ahead of him. But Justin's thoughts shifted to the few moments before Elesa interrupted. Does Skyla like him? He assumed so, but now the question was did he like her? Images of Carmen flooded into his mind and now he felt really confused.

"**Why can't I stop thinking about her**?** We've never talked for that long, I've only known her for a few days, and she isn't much of a talker, so WHY?!**" Justin remained seated and contemplated his feelings the best he could, but to no avail. He closed his eyes and remembered the cold grip of his dream; it was the only thing that could take his mind off his growing dilemma…

**Elesa's POV**

Elesa at herself in the mirror while Skyla helped her out with a zipper on the back of a nice dress she had found. She was fully aware of Justin's presence before she poked her head out through the door and interrupted their would-be-kiss. She didn't know what compelled her to do it, she just acted. She was actually watching what was going on through a small gap in the door. She shook off her initial confusion and continued to look at herself in the mirror.

"Elesa you could have done this yourself I think."

"Really? Well thanks for helping me out anyways."

"Of course! Friends help friends." Elesa could hear the annoyance in her voice and felt a little bad.

"Yeah, friends help friends." Skyla walked out of the dressing room and now Elesa looked at herself once again in the mirror. She gave a light smile and put on her original clothes and stepped out of the dressing room not to shortly after. She gave her bags to Justin who insisted on carrying them for her. She argued, but he wouldn't budge, he said that he was obligated to help her out. She didn't really care; her bodyguards usually carried her bags for her anyways. As the three of them walked along the stores of the city, Elesa noticed Skyla's numerous attempts at hitting on Justin. He was oblivious to even the bluntest of advances; he was almost as his friend Ethan. However every time she saw the two of them laughing or having fun together, she felt a pang of loneliness. She couldn't help but feel jealous at all the fun the two seemed to have; Justin told jokes and told funny stories and Skyla always teased him. This always left him looking like he just got shocked by an electric Pokemon; Skyla always told her about her fondness for teasing him and she saw why it was so entertaining. Elesa had droves of fans that idolized her and admired her, but her only real friends were Skyla and Lyra. They were the only ones to ever see past the fame and see her as a real person. Even her own father used her as a puppet to gain money. He tells her that it's for her future and she knows he means well, but in the end it's all about the money. The people who acted like they were her friends just wanted to have some of her fortune, they cared nothing about her as a person; the same goes for all the guys who say that they "love" her and want to go out. All they want is for her to be some kind of trophy for them to show off and brag about. She was jealous that her friend was slowly moving farther and farther away from her and that she would soon have no one but herself as company. She didn't realize that she stopped in the middle of the road. He felt like she was going to tear up, but a hand touched her arm. She turned to see the concerned faces of Justin and Skyla, however she only saw Justin during that moment. She felt an unfamiliar tingling sensation in her stomach. She nodded slowly and looked at him with dreamy eyes and smiled.

"Elesa are you okay?"

"I am now." She snapped back into reality and quickly recovered. "B-Because I, uh, figured out that I'm hungry, we should get something to eat."

"Yeah we should, I feel hungry too."

"Well that makes three of us, let's go get a bite!" Without further delay, the three got food from the nearby food court. Justin and Skyla were having corn dogs, but Elesa had salad, she couldn't eat greasy food. When the two of them sat down, Skyla looked at her now beeping Xtransceiver and gasped.

"What happened Skyla?"

"I forgot that I had detention today!"

"How'd you get detention?"

"I… accidentally spilled my lunch on Professor Brandon the other day." Elesa remembered that calling him professor was like taboo and she was sure that somewhere, Professor Brandon was probably twitching. "He sent me a message saying that if I miss this one, he'll assign me a fifteen page essay on battle tactics! I've got to go, see you guys tomorrow!" Skyla dashed off without time for questions and now she was alone with Justin. Now was an ideal time to set her plans into motion. She simply had to lower his guard and she could extract the information easily. It worked with getting him to agree to come here, so she assumed it would work here as well. She decided to start up idle conversation, but Justin beat her to the punch.

"Why didn't you get a corn dog?"

"Because their full of grease. I can't eat greasy foods, otherwise I might break out in pimples, and that isn't good." He laughed and sighed.

"You know, you should enjoy yourself while were out here. Have a bite of mine." He passed his corn dog over to Elesa and she put a hand to block it.

"No I shouldn't… it's not healthy!" He persisted and was now trying to put her hands down.

"Come on! Say ahhh!" He was now gently prodding the air with it and now a blush crept onto Elesa's cheeks.

"No stop it!" She was laughing a little and was trying to cover up her face so he wouldn't see her blush. "It's embarrassing!"

"You're not afraid of a little wiener are you? Just take a bite. You'll be fine." She sighed and lowered her hands. She grabbed the corn dog and looked dejectedly at Justin. "Go on!" She took a small bite and found that it tasted quite good. She tried to hide this from Justin, but he figured it out rather quickly. "See? It does taste good!"

"Here, I'll feel bad if I ate it all." He pushed it away and shook his head.

"Nah, I'll feel better if you ate it, after all, you don't get to eat greasy food." She playfully punched his arm and now they looked at each other. Elesa looked at him and she forgot her original plan of making him talk, she just simply wanted to talk to him.

"Today was fun! I'm glad you agreed to come with us."

"Same here. I usually don't like going out to place like this, but you made it worthwhile!" Elesa blushed again, even deeper this time.

"I-I made it worthwhile?"

"Yeah! I get the chance to talk to Skyla a lot, but I never realized how nice you were before I came here." Elesa was even redder and she felt that tingling sensation in her stomach again. She was jittery and he got up from his chair and looked at the time. "We should get going, the ferry leaves in ten minutes." She nodded and pushed chair in. The two of them walked and eventually reached the docks where Elesa finally decided to ask her question.

"H-Hey Justin…" He turned his head and looked at her. "So did you…" The words were caught in her throat; she could get the answer right now! All she had to do was say it! "Did you want to possibly… do this again sometime?" She was shocked by her own words and she looked at Justin to see what he would say.

"Yeah, if I have free time I'll go with you." Elesa was surprised not to feel frustration, but instead she felt excited. Why was she excited? She had no idea what was going on anymore! Did she perhaps feel something towards him instead of her curiosity to find out if he was the stalker or not? She breathed in and out to relax herself but she couldn't really relax, she was too anxious. The boat horn sounded and the two of them got onto the boat. The ride was quiet as Justin just looked at the ocean most of the time. Skyla told her about his liking of the ocean and now she wondered that whether he looked at her the same way…

**Justin's POV**

The boat docked at the academy and the two of them got off the boat and entered the atrium. They continued to walk together until they reached the elevator that they had first met in.

"Well, I'll see you later Justin." As she began to walk off to go to her dorm Justin called back to her.

"Hold on!" She turned and he walked up to her. He was slightly taller than she was, even in her heels. He looked at her icy blue eyes and saw that she was reddening and appeared to be expecting something. "Could you give this to Skyla for me?" He gave her a slip of paper that contained a list of things he liked and disliked made per Skyla's request. He saw that Elesa's expression changed to one of disappointment.

"O-Okay…"

"Is something wrong Elesa?"

"No, nothing is." She walked off and Justin rubbed his temples. It was a long full day and he was tired and sore. He was starting to get a headache as he thought about all the things the girls did around him. Roxanne would clam up, Skyla would tease him, Elesa was awkward around him, Carmen was indifferent to his existence, and even Cynthia was weird! Justin walked back to his dorm and wondered along the way whether Carlos would help him out. He sighed and thought,

"**Women…**"

**Holy crap guys! What an emotional chapter! The girl that caught Justin's attention shuns him and he is completely oblivious to the others who like him! How will he fare and what will his next week be like? Remember to review guys! Your reviews help get the story out in the open and it lets me know what you like or dislike. There's 1500 of you reading this story so I'm sure we can get a whole lot of reviews. Join in on the forum and discuss story topics and share ideas! Vote on the poll and share with your friends! Well thanks for reading and expect an update on Thursday!**

** -N-Black, out**


	9. Chapter 9

**N-Black is back with a new chapter for ya'll! Thanks for your continued support and send in your OC's! I still need more characters and I can only think of so many and I want to get you guys involved in the story! Short author's notes today so here's chapter 9!**

**Chapter 9: Who Are You?**

Justin stared emptily at his shoes as he tied them. Ever since he saw Carlos battle Silver, something seemed to be gnawing at him. He couldn't describe the feeling, but it happened every time he saw one of his friends battling and it felt a little like jealousy. Justin still felt the soreness of his uphill run with Cynthia. He was still recovering and had spent most of yesterday in his bed because his legs wouldn't move at all. He finished tying his shoes and stretched; he had woken up early today to call his parents and tell them about his time on the island and to let Eevee get a check up. He knew that all it needed was rest, but he didn't want to take any chances. The time differential made it difficult to call them at any other time except when in the early hours of the morning. He let out a yawn and walked down to the school's Pokemon Center to call via video. He put on his jacket and headed outside to the elevator. He rode down and felt that same feeling of discomfort and wondered what was causing it. He shook it off as the elevator came to a stop and he walked idly to the center. He reached the center and after handing Eevee's Pokeball to Nurse Joy, went into one of the one of the calling booths. The center in the school was twenty-four hours just like all the rest of them. He entered the number and awaited a call. It was six 'o' clock on the island, too early to be up by Justin's standards, and the time difference must have made the time in Aspertia about nine 'o' clock in the evening. The screen lit up with the image of his little sister and she instantly smiled.

"JUSTIN!" Her shrill scream hurt his ears and before he could say anything, she ran off to tell their parents that he was calling them. He saw her run back down with her parents. His dad was the first to come to the screen and he smiled at his son. Justin smiled back and was happy to see his family, even though they were thousands of miles away. His family would always be there for him and he knew that he would always be able to count on them.

"How are things over there son?"

"Doing good dad! How about you guys?" His dads scooted over and now his mom shared the screen.

"We're just fine here Justin, we were getting worried about you because you haven't called us, but it seems everything is fine."

"Uh-huh, everything here's great."

"Have you made new friends?"

"Yeah, three of them actually." His mom raised an eyebrow as if to question him.

"You haven't been talking to any girls have you?" He began to cough and he recovered. His mom didn't want him to talk to any girls; she wanted to protect him from whatever dangers were lurking ahead, even if those dangers somehow included a girlfriend. She took the most time to convince to get him to leave for the academy in the first place.

"No of course not mom!"

"Are you sure?" She saw right through him sometimes. His dad nudged her shoulder slightly and he laughed.

"Ah hon! He called to see how we were doing, not so you could interrogate him about his love life. Well son it's good to hear from you, have a good time while you're there and remember to be safe."

"Of course dad." The call ended and the screen went dark again. Justin walked outside and looked out the nearest window. Carlos was a small spot outside, but Justin could see him.

"**I don't know how he does it.**" Justin looked down towards the end of the hall and saw that Roxanne was walking towards the classrooms. She was carrying an overflowing file and looked tired. Justin waited till she was close enough to pop out and say hi. She neared the window he was looking through and he walked out to greet her. She paused and her face, as expected turned red, and she began to walk back. He didn't understand why she acted like this and he was going to find out today why.

"Roxanne, hold up!" She turned and was about to run the other direction, but Justin was too quick, even on his sore legs. He grabbed her arm and she stopped dead in her tracks. She turned around and she looked like a Deerling caught in headlights, only redder. "Why do you keep avoiding me? I want to talk to you, so why do you ignore me?" She was breathing rather hard and she cleared her throat and said in a small voice,

"Y-You want to talk to me?"

"Of course I do! I thought we could be friends and all, but you never wanted to stay and talk. It had me worried and I was wondering if there was something wrong. Are you afraid of me Roxanne?"

"N-No! It's just that I was so nervous whenever I was around you. I didn't know if you wanted to talk to me so I tried to confront you, but I always lost my nerve when you looked at me."

"Why'd you lose your nerve? You talked just fine to me when I was in the center before, how come not now?" She fidgeted with her bow and looked away from him.

"Well I… don't know how to say it."

"Come on, you talked to the whole school during the assembly," He decided to tease her for fun and hopefully lighten the mood, "just relax, I won't bite… hard." At his little joke she gasped and clutched her files rather harshly and backed a few steps away from him. "What's wrong? Was it something I said?"

"I've got to go! Professor Oak needs these files for the tournament before school starts."

"We have two hours!"

"Nice to talk to you Justin, bye!" She ran the other way and Justin would have given chase, but his legs weren't ready for running yet. He just watched her dash towards the nearest elevator.

"Jeez she's difficult." He looked at the elevator leading up to the roof and decided to look at the sunrise…

**Roxanne's POV**

As the elevator climbed ever upwards towards the headmaster's office, Roxanne struggled to keep control of her urges. Ever since she met Justin, she kept having perverted thoughts about him, wild fantasies that conveyed her lust. She was ashamed of those feelings and had tried on numerous accounts to resist the urge to relieve herself of the burning feeling between her legs, but she failed and gave in each time. She had gotten to the point where she started to do it daily and now just seeing him for prolonged amounts of time triggered her desires. "**Why can't I stop?**" After she delivered these documents to the headmaster, she would go straight to her first class and wait it out. As long as she was in public she wouldn't dare try it. But she had her doubts… maybe doing it in public would make it more pleasurable…

**Justin's POV**

Justin closed his eyes and leaned against the wall of the ascending elevator and relaxed. His eyelids felt heavy and he had difficulty in trying to keep them open. He saw back to his trip with the girls on Friday, hanging out with Carlos, Ethan, and Jaret, and his parents. These were the things that made him happy. He considered his Pokemon to be his family as well and decided to let them enjoy the sunrise with him as well. The elevator opened up and Justin walked out through the lounge to see the railing and someone standing in his usual spot. He walked closer and saw that the person was Carmen, just in different clothes. He stood back and looked at her. She wore black nylons, but still had her combat boots on, a mini skirt with a white trim on the bottom, a rather small black tank top that showed some of her midsection and had very thin straps that wrapped around her neck, and she wore her choker. She didn't notice him walk over and Justin walked over to another side of the rail, not to far from her but not to close.

"Are you stalking me or something?" She didn't turn her head when she talked and the sudden sound of her voice made Justin jump.

"N-No it's nothing like that! I come up here to think sometimes. My question is what are you doing up here so early?" His question must have caught her off guard and she appeared to be slightly startled. She looked at inquisitively and relaxed.

"I don't have to answer to you." She turned to walk away, but Justin made a bold move and grabbed her shoulder. She turned with rage glinting in her eyes and like lightning, removed his hand from her shoulder and glared at him like an Arbok. "What's your problem? Why do you keep bothering me?" Justin made no attempt to retain control of his hand and instead remained calm.

"My problem is that you won't talk to me. You asked me a question and I answered, isn't it just courteous to answer mine as well?!" He was ticked off at her rudeness and wanted a straight answer and he decided that he wasn't going to leave her alone until she did. Carmen threw his hand down and began to walk off again, but he stopped her yet again. Carmen's original anger was replaced by annoyance.

"So what if I don't talk to you? I don't have to talk to you if I don't want to! Just leave me alone, you don't know me!" Once again she tried to run away, but he stopped her again. She turned but this time she said nothing and it looked like she was waiting for him to speak. He released his grip on her shoulder and took a deep breath.

"But I would like to know you." She looked him over and then, for the first time since he's seen her, she smiled. It was a rather seductive smile and now she walked over to him slowly, swaying her hips ever so slightly. She was rather close to him and now she spoke softly.

"I see…" She ran a finger down his chest and he shivered at her touch. "Fair warning… I'm a bad girl." With those words she walked away and left Justin feeling confused. Her first smile and it was devious and seductive. He shook off his feelings and called out his Pokemon. Dewott, Gligar, and Scyther came out of their Pokeballs and stretched out and looked at Justin.

"Guys, look at the sunrise!" They all turned their attention to the rising orb and gazed at it with wonder. The sun was a glorious shade of dark orange and its colors reflected off the water of the sea, turning into a mirror. Justin and his team gazed at the sun rise and had only one desire, another person to share it with, but she was gone now. He was so bewildered, these strange feelings that coursed through him, jealousy, attraction, and a strange fuzzy feeling when he was around Skyla. He didn't like admitting it, but he knew, somewhere deep down, that he was alone…

Justin walked down after looking at the sunrise and was stopped by Nurse Joy as he passed the Pokemon Center.

"Justin, you're Eevee is in good health."

"Thank you Nurse Joy." She handed him Eevee's Pokeball and he attached it to his belt.

"Oh one more thing, a Nathan Black is requesting you come to the calling booth, he said it's urgent." She walked back to her counter and Justin went to the calling booth, eager to hear the urgent new Nathan had. He answered the call and Nathan appeared with a frantic look on his face.

"Justin! Good you're here! Your parents told me you called and I ran as quickly as I could over to your house to tell you the great news!"

"Well I'm here, so what is it?"

"Trent is coming to your school to teach!" Justin silently gasped. Trent was Nate's older brother and he was probably one of the most accomplished trainers in the Unova region. The last he heard news about Trent was when Nate told Justin that he was going to travel the world to explore and train three years ago. Trent was a strong trainer and was quite famous around Aspertia city. Many young trainers, including Justin, looked up to Trent as a role model. After processing the information he just received, Justin decided to speak

"I thought he was traveling around the world?"

"He was, but we got the call today and he said that Professor Oak personally invited him to assist in teaching." It was quite a feat to be personally invited to teach at the academy at such a young age. Trent was only three years older than Justin and Nate, but he had the personality of an adult. Justin thought about what lessons would be like and smiled.

"This going to be great! Do you know when he's coming here?"

"He said on the call that he was on his way over to the island."

"That means I might see him today! Thanks for the news Nate, I'll catch you later!"

"One more thing Justin, take care of him, he maybe a great trainer, but he's not invincible."

"Don't worry Nate, you can count on me." With one last gesture of farewell, the call ended and Justin returned to his dorm, awaiting the start of the school day with anticipation. The day started regularly and he went to Professor Juniper's class with Carlos and Ethan. The only thing that seemed out of the ordinary was that Roxanne wasn't answering questions left and right. She seemed to be trying to hold back something, but Justin couldn't tell what. The day progressed and soon they were in Battling 101. The students poured in and Justin heard Brandon's usual loud screaming, however it wasn't being projected to the students. Justin looked past the wall of people and saw that Scott was standing in front of him with a calm air around him.

"Scott, just admit my kids are better trainers than yours and we'll call a truce!" Scott just remained smiling and simply chuckled.

"You know I'm not going to because it's not true! My kids are definitely better trainers! Besides, if it weren't for me, you wouldn't have even been called "Pyramid King" in the first place!" Justin as well as a few of the other students were caught off guard by that statement. A boy next to Justin muttered something and he heard something that sounded like,

"I heard Scott made the Battle Frontier…" This bit of information was shocking! Scott apparently had an eye for talent but Justin could hardly imagine him making so large scale as the Battle Frontier. Where did he get the money for such a project in the first place?

"There's only one way to settle this… a battle between two of our students!"

"Fine by me."

"Well don't get too cocky now. I'm sure you know that one of my students has already beaten one of yours!"

"True as that maybe, it was hardly a fair match up. Ethan is still is just a first-year and doesn't have the same experience that Jaret has."

"W-Well let's just get to the battle…" Scott scanned the audience for his potential student and locked eyes with Justin and smiled.

"Justin! Why don't you show us what you've got?" Justin was startled by Scott's choice and he nervously walked towards the field and he could feel the heat coming from his classmate's stares. He made it to his side of the field and waited for Brandon to make his choice. He surveyed the group of students with a careful eye and he grinned. He pointed in the middle and called out a familiar face.

"Carlos Del Grove." Carlos walked out of the crowd and smiled his kind smile. Justin clenched his fists and felt a creeping feel of dread come over him. He felt a sense of déjà vu and remembered the Aspertia tournament. He felt himself tremble and could feel the sweat forming on his brow.

"**Not now! Why now of all times! Why won't it go away?**" Carlos took his side of the field and cracked his knuckles. Brandon decided that he would referee the match and went to his side of the field.

"This will be a three-on-three battle! You may substitute as need be! Trainers, are you ready?"

"I've wanted to battle you Justin and now I'll finally get to see how strong you are!" He grabbed a Pokeball and threw out his first Pokemon. Out of the ball came a Marshtomp, which Justin guessed had the nickname of…

"Marberto!" The pale blue Pokemon let out a confident cry and readied itself for the battle. Justin took out his own Pokeball and called out his Scyther. The green mantis stood poised for battle, its scythes glinting threateningly. Carlos made the first move and left Justin no time to think. "Use Water Gun!" A jet of high pressure water was heading straight for Scyther, but on instinct alone it dodged. Scyther was already en route to attack and all it was waiting for was a command. Out of all Justin's Pokemon, Scyther was the most natural at battling. All it needed was for Justin to say the command and it would execute them with precision every time.

"Scyther use Razor Wind!" Scyther flapped its wings and sent a barrage of sharp blades of air hurtling towards Marshtomp.

"Dodge it Marshtomp!" Justin saw that Marshstomp was particularly stocky and had a feeling it wouldn't be quite speedy. However it was just the opposite; Marshstomp evaded the attack with amazing dexterity and was in a attacking position once again.

"Alright Marshstomp, use Body Slam!" Marshtomp heaved off the ground and flew towards Scyther.

"Scyther dodge that and then use X-Scissor!" Scyther quickly sidestepped the attack and was now preparing its devastating X-Scissor.

"Marshtomp use Water Gun to propel yourself!" The water-type sent out another stream and was now being lifted into the air. It changed the angle of where it was shooting the water and it was now traveling in the air using Water Gun. It was fast approaching and Scyther was caught unprepared. It stopped its attack and was now jumping backwards to avoid the potential attack. Justin was trying to tell Scyther to use Razor Wind and hit Marshtomp while it was airborne, but he couldn't speak.

"**Damn it…**" Scyther ran out of space to jump back to and was now against a wall.

"Marshtomp use Mud Bomb!" It stopped the flow of water and was now launching dense balls of mud at Scyther. Each one of the attacks struck Scyther and Justin could see the pain it was going through. The barrage stopped and Scyther was knocked out. Justin recalled it and noticed he was still shaking.

"**Why am I afraid? Carlos is my friend!**" Justin realized that his feelings on the elevator were coming back into him. He felt that tug of jealousy and now he understood why. Carlos, Ethan, Jaret, and Nate… all of them were better than he was. Every time he looked upon one of their battles, he knew that they were more skilled than he was and it made him angry that he wasn't able to bring out his teams full strength. He felt pathetic and he knew that this battle was hopeless. "**I have to keep going… otherwise…**" He sent out Gligar, his most unruly Pokemon. He wanted to win, he just didn't know how he could under these conditions.

"Marshtomp return!" Carlos picked another one of his team and sent it out. The flash of light faded and out of the ball came his powerful Rhyhorn. It roared with ferocity and pawed at the ground, ready to charge.

"Gligar use Faint Attack." Gligar flew in a mesmerizing pattern and without warning, launched itself towards Rhyhorn with its pincers open. The attack connected, but Rhyhorn did not move.

"Rhyberto, Horn Attack!" The Pokemon moved and picked up speed. Gligar simply ascended into the sky and Rhyhorn stopped, looking up at its opponent with fierce eyes.

"**As long as I don't get to close we'll be fine.**" "Gligar use Poison Sting!" From its stinger, Gligar let lose multiple poisoned barbs. The barbs grazed against the thick hide and appeared to do no damage." There were a few laughs from the audience watching them and even from Brandon, but Justin didn't listen to them, he used an ineffective move on purpose, damage from this single attack was not his goal, but what came after was. Justin looked closely and saw a few barbs that had found an opening in Rhyhorn's armor and he smiled. Carlos's face darkened with concern and Justin realized that he must have noticed the barbs as well.

"Slick Justin, very slick… you didn't want any damage, you wanted to poison Rhyberto!" The giggling crowd fell silent and they were now watching with renewed fascination. Justin peered over at Scott and saw him smile. "Well now that Rhyberto is poisoned… I guess I'll just have to end this quickly!" Justin's small moment of victory was washed away with anxiety. Justin didn't want to take any risks so he called back Gligar and sent Dewott. His trusty partner looked at his opponent and was now resting its hands on its shells, ready to draw them if need be. Not only did Dewott have superior typing, but it also had ranged moves so it could keep its distance from Rhyhorn.

"Dewott use Scald!" Dewott shot forth scalding hot water from its mouth and Rhyhorn took the attack head on.

"Rhyberto use Megahorn!" The armored Pokemon's horn glowed fiercely and it was now plowing through the Scald attack harmlessly. This is just what Justin wanted.

"Dewott, use Ice Beam!" With a flawless transition, Dewott switched from Scald and was now sending forth a chilling beam of cold energy. The attack hit squarely and Rhyberto was now frozen in place. Justin could see the surprise on Carlos's face and he could feel the astonishment in the room. "Use Razor Shell!" Dewott spring forward with its twin shells and struck the ice. After Dewott passed it, the ice fell into multiple segments and Rhyberto was sprawled out on the ground. Dewott rushed back to Justin's side of the field, but just as Dewott passed Rhyberto, the horned Pokemon's eyes snapped open. It rammed Dewott from behind and sent it flying across the field. Three…THREE SUPER-EFFECTIVE HITS AND IT STILL WASN'T DOWN!? Justin was at a loss for words and so was the crowd. Dewott was at Justin's feet and was unconscious. He gently picked it up and returned it. Carlos's Rhyhorn was absurdly resilient and now all the pressure lied on Gligar. He sent out the flying scorpion and it glided about with anticipation.

"Nice try Justin, but Rhyberto isn't going to go down that easily." That was easy? Dewott sent all it had at Rhyhorn and still it wasn't enough. However resilient it maybe, it should still feel all the damage it's taken, and the poison will weaken it as the battle drags on.

"Gligar use U-Turn!" Gligatr swooped towards Rhyhorn and smacked it with its pincers. Before Rhyhorn could retaliate, Gligar flew back towards Justin and glided about once again.

"U-Turn, eh? Smart choice. It won't let Rhyberto get a clear shot at you, but U-Turn won't keep you safe for ever. Rhyberto use Rock Polish!" Rhyhorn approached a wall and was grinding its hide onto it.

"Quick Gligar, stop it with a Screech!" Gligar let out an earsplitting screech and it stopped Rhyhorn from further using Rock Polish. "Now use Acrobatics!" Gligar glided to where Rhyhorn was and dive-bombed it, its speed increasing with every passing moment.

"Rhyhorn dodge!" Rhyhorn moved fast, faster than it should and now Gligar was about to crash into the ground. Before it could, it pulled up and floated in the air.

"Good job Gligar!" It looked back and smiled at its trainer and returned its focus to the battle. Rhyhorn was fast now. It could easily counter U-Turn and now Justin was running low on options and Gligar was growing weaker and weaker. Then Justin saw it, Rhyhorn's look of discomfort and he knew that the poison was taking its toll on it. All he had to do was take very few risks and only strike when it was absolutely safe. "Gligar use Sand-Attack!" Gligar flew down low and was now flapping its wings and was sending up a large dust cloud to obscure Rhyhorn's vision.

"Rhyberto, charge ahead of the sand with Take Down!" Rhyhorn hurled itself through the smoke and emerged to see no target. It looked around for its enemy, but it never looked up.

"Gligar use Brick Break!" Gligar raised a glowing pincer and struck Rhyhorn in between the gap in its armor that was located by its shoulder. It cried out in pain and fell to its knees, struggling to raise its body. "**This has to finish it!**"

"Rhyberto use Stone Edge!" The protective spikes on Rhyhorn's back rose up like needles and then sprung upwards, knocking Gligar off Rhyhorn. As it fell to the ground Carlos said another command. "Now use Double-Edge!" Rhyhorn rushed forwards and slammed its body against Gligar. Gligar skidded across the ground and was knocked out. He picked up Gligar and sank to his knees. Brandon wasted no time in calling out the victory.

"Yes! Carlos and Rhyhorn have won the battle! It was a devastating three to zero sweep! Justin was manhandled by Carlos, as expected; after all, he is under my counseling!" Carlos still remained on his side of the field and looked worriedly at Rhyhorn. It appeared to be having trouble just standing.

"R-Rhyberto?" It cried weakly and fell down unconscious. The recoil from Double-Edge must have drained the last of its strength. "Good work pal." He returned his Pokemon and walked over to Justin with his hand extended. "Good battle Justin." He shook his hand weakly and sighed.

"You won though; you beat me pretty bad too…"

"You have no idea how much pressure you were putting on me dude! When you poisoned Rhyberto, I was having a miniature panic attack! You have really good strategy Justin, but you seemed, I don't know, kind of off."

"Guess I'm just not on my A-game today."

"Well when you are, we have to battle again, all right?" Carlos's praise and kind demeanor helped Justin cheer himself up. He decided that his stage fright was going to be gone, no matter what it took. He wanted the opportunity to face all his friends and not be afraid of others watching him. He noticed that when he was really concentrating, his fear didn't bother him as much. Maybe that was how he could start to get over it. Ethan ran over and congratulated the both of them on the great battle. Justin was proud regardless of the result and he would do all he could to flip the tables; to be the one being satisfied with a win under his belt…

The rest of the day went by quickly and there was some interesting news in their Pokemon and Technology class. Their previous professor, Celio, was going back to the Sevii Islands in Kanto and that they were going to meet their new instructor tomorrow. Lunch ended and now students were either going back to their dorms, some were lounging around with their friends, or some went to their other classes to make up work. Justin went to the very front of the academy and waited to see some sign of Trent coming across the ocean. He waited and waited and waited, but still no sign of Trent. He decided to go back, but he heard in the distance, the sound of a helicopter's blades cutting through the air. He looked and saw that helicopter coming to land. The wind generated by the propellers made Justin shield his eyes from the dust it was kicking up. The blades came to a stop and the door opened. Out of it came a slim person, with a black baseball cap that was slightly upturned, a black jacket with a white t-shirt underneath it, grey skinny jeans, and white and blue sneakers. He was about 5'11 and dark brown hair that were contrasted by his light brown eyes. He had a smile on his tan face, which Justin assumed he had acquired by traveling to the sunny parts of the world. Justin ran forward and greeted Trent with a handshake.

"Trent! How've you been?"

"Good! I was so excited to hear that you were enrolled here!"

"So you're teaching, are you our new Pokemon and Technology professor?"

"You wish! I'm an assistant in Battling 101!"

"That makes sense." The two of them were reminiscing when a second person came out of the helicopter. He had a black suit with an electric blue tie that was covered up by his white lab coat. He had amber eyes that were nearly the same shade as his pale slicked back blonde hair. He had a strange piece of his hair that wrapped around the back of his head and it was the same shade of blue as his tie. He looked through oval shaped glasses and smiled at Justin. Something wasn't right about him; there was something that just didn't feel right. He extended his hand and said in a smooth voice,

"Hello Justin, a pleasure to meet you. I am Colress."

**How was that chapter? Let me know by leaving a beautiful review at the bottom of the page! Your input matters and don't forget to send in your OC's, talk in the forum, vote in the poll, and share with your friends! Just a quick reminder, if you are interested in becoming a moderator for the forum, I have changed the name of the forum to Pokemon Academy Counseling. PM me and I'll send you the requirements and expect an update next Wednesday. Thanks for reading, thanks for your support, and most of all… thank you for being beautiful people. **

**N-Black, Out**


	10. Chapter 10

**N-Black is back with a new chapter for all you awesome readers! So an old friend of Justin's has come to the island to help teach, but a mysterious person known as Colress has appeared as well. Who is he and why does he seem dubious? We'll find out shortly in the tenth chapter of Pokémon Academy!**

** Chapter 10: Friends help Friend, Right?**

Justin looked over the man named Colress and something he knew that he had something wrong with him. His eyes held false kindness and smile was but a rouse to gain trust. Colress kept his smile on his face and breathed in.

"The sea breeze is lovely isn't it Mr. Black? I mustn't tarry I'm afraid, there is setting up to be done, I will see the both of you later." Colress grabbed his things and went into the academy, leaving Justin alone with Trent.

"How'd that guy know my name?"

"I told him." Justin whipped his head around and looked at Trent with a questioning stare. "He asked me if there were any students worth looking out for and I had to tell him about you." Trent picked up his bags and motioned for Justin to follow. The two of them walked into the academy's atrium and Trent looked around with a smile on his face. He breathed in and exhaled, sounding satisfied. "It's great to be back here again." Trent was an alumnus of the academy and was one of the youngest trainers to be accepted at the age of thirteen. He completed his education at age seventeen and that's when he went to travel the world.

"So you're going to be assisting Professor Brandon in Battling 101?"

"I hope you don't call him that in class otherwise…"

"I don't, but I don't like doing it. The guy is a braggart and an egomaniac, all he wants to do is show that he or anyone he counsels is the best, no matter how it makes people feel."

"Yeah, Brandon was always like that. But I can't do much to lighten your load, he is my boss now." The two of them kept walking and told each other stories about what has happened at the academy, but Justin stopped and looked down the corridor they were passing by and saw Carmen looking intently at the wall in front of her as if she were examining a cave painting.

"Trent, I'll see you tomorrow, there's something I have to do."

"All right, take care of yourself. I'll see you in class tomorrow!" Justin waved one last goodbye and waited till he heard Trent's footsteps disappear. He walked down the hallway and Carmen turned to look at him, a look of slight annoyance on her face.

"You again? I told you I want to be left alone." She stopped her examining and was now leaning against the wall with her arms crossed.

"I was just curious as to what you were doing. You were looking at the wall like it was made of gold."

"Oh, uh, that. I was just examining the way the walls were made. I've never seen material like this. So is there, uh, something else you wanted to talk about?" Justin raised an eyebrow in a questioning manner and his lips curved into a smile.

"So you want to talk now? What happened to you not wanting to be bothered?" Carmen opened her mouth to try to say something snappy, but Justin could tell that he had caught her off guard and that she had nothing to say. She put her head down so that her hair would cover her face and she began to speak under her breath. "What's wrong? Can't think of anything to say?" She turned and she wore a grimace and her face was slowly turning red from the frustration.

"Ugh! You're so difficult! Why don't you just say what you want to say and stop beating around the bush?"

"So just to clarify… you **do** want to talk to me?" She nodded her head and was still grimacing. He smiled victoriously and she scoffed.

"What has you so happy?"

"Well for one, you're not giving me the cold shoulder anymore and we managed to carry a conversation." Justin exhaled and mustered up his courage to ask her what he's been dying to ask since he met her. "W-Would you want to hang out during the weekend, or something?" He was holding his breath and was just waiting for her to flat out reject him. She looked at him with that same look of indifference and turned and walked away. Justin's shoulders sagged down and he frowned. "**I should have known better, what made me think she would hang out with me, I've been sort of a nuisance…**" He turned and was beginning to walk the other way when he heard Carmen clear her throat. He peered over his shoulder and saw that she stopped as well. She turned her head slightly and Justin could see her green eyes. They usually looked like daggers, but their expression was softer now.

"W-Well… I'll think about it." She turned her head and continued to walk down the corridor. Justin wasted no time in running straight outside. He pushed the doors out of his way and went to the edge of the island's cliff and shouted at the top of his lungs.

"YEEEESSSSSS!" He smiled outward towards the sea and fell to his knees. He was so happy, even though her answer was maybe, he was still ecstatic that he had asked her in the first place. He had much to tell Ethan and Carlos tonight…

Justin returned to his dorm and Carlos must have picked up on the rays of happiness that were radiating from him. Ethan and Carlos both sat down and listened intently to what Justin had to say. He told them that Trent was teaching at the academy and that he was a superb trainer. He talked about the mysterious Colress and about his attempt at asking Carmen to hang out. Carlos nodded his head in satisfaction.

"Way to go Justin! You asked her out! So what will you do if she does turn up on the weekend? Justin drew a blank; he didn't know what to do if she did turn up. He remembered all the things that Skyla and Elesa did when he went with them, but he didn't know if they appeal to Carmen's interests.

"I'll figure out something during the week." Carlos nodded once again and Justin turned to Ethan who appeared to be thinking. "What's on your mind Ethan?"

"Where did Trent go for his trip Justin?"

"I think he went to Johto if I'm not mistaken." Carlos snapped his fingers and grinned.

"Ah, no wonder he sounds familiar. I remember that he participated in a tournament in Goldenrod about a year and a half ago." Justin looked at both his friends with curiosity.

"It was tournament I watched while I was in New Bark Town. He was amazing! He won the whole thing without breaking a sweat. Learning from a guy like that… it'll be great!" Justin smiled; he had no idea that Trent had become slightly famous in Johto as well.

"I couldn't agree more Ethan, plus since he knows me we might get let off the hook sometimes." He looked outside and saw that the moon was out and the sky twinkled with the light of the stars. The anxiety was killing him and he didn't know if he would be able to sleep tonight. The three boys got dressed in their night clothes and went to bed. Justin was still up and the others were happily snoozing away. He stared up at the ceiling and realized that tomorrow was chock full of things he had to figure out. There was the issue of what to do with Carmen should she show up on the weekend; he was going to have to get help for that one. What will Trent do as their assistant teacher and who was Colress? He began to feel his eyes droop and let the night take him…

As he predicted, Justin didn't get much rest last night. He tossed and turned and kept waking up at random times of the day. When the time for waking up did happen, he could barely walk straight and was now rubbing his head from bumping into a wall. While he was tossing about in his sleep, Justin figured out who he was going to ask advice from to help him on the weekend if Carmen shows herself. It was either Skyla or Elesa since they were the ones who invited him out last time. First period dragged on and on. The history of the Pokémon League was dry, but Justin was forcing himself to stay awake less he suffer the wrath of Professor Rowan. Second period was when he was ready to learn. Trent was going to be there and Justin wondered what they would be doing. The students poured in and Justin could see Brandon and Trent standing side-by-side. The class settled down as Brandon approached them.

"Today class, I would like to introduce you to Trent Black." There were a few cheers from the audience, they have most likely seen him battle and were fans. Brandon raised a hand and the cheering stopped. "Trent is a past student of the academy and the headmaster has personally invited him to assist me in teaching you. Some of you may know that Trent is a skilled trainer and has participated in several tournaments in Unova and Johto and has found success in each of them. While he is here you will refer to him as Mr. Black and I will hear no disrespect from any of you! Got it?" The students answered and the lessons began. The class broke off into groups and they were all perfecting timing of their Pokémon's moves and were all trying to get in sync with their teammates. Justin was practicing with Gligar and Carlos was practicing with a Grovyle nicknamed, you guessed it, Groberto. Justin was having difficulty Gligar to cooperate; it was inclined to do whatever it wanted unless the battle was serious. Gligar's unruly behavior came about due to it being a showoff; it believed that it could battle without Justin's directions most of the time and went with what it felt like at the time. Justin sighed and Trent walked over and put a hand on his shoulder.

"What's wrong?"

"Gligar just won't listen to me unless it's a serious battle. I don't know how to control it." Trent looked at Gligar and called out to it.

"Hey Gligar!" The Pokémon was suspended in the air and looked at Trent with child-like curiosity. "Why don't you let me give you a few orders, how's that sound?" The purple scorpion looked at Trent once more and slowly nodded. Trent gave out a long list of complicated flight patterns and attacks. Gligar did all these moves, but clumsily. A few students came around to look at what Trent was doing and abandoned their own training sessions. Trent gave the call for Gligar to land and it rested on Trent's shoulders, panting with the exertion of its activities. "All right show's over students! Go back to practicing!" The students dispersed and some were attempting the way Trent was ordering Gligar. After Trent saw that the students were all out of ear's reach, he spoke to Justin. "I think that Gligar thinks that you aren't suited to train it." Justin was slightly shocked and was appalled by the idea that one of his partners didn't think he was up to snuff. "Don't be upset! I'm just telling you what I feel is going on and I think it's an issue between you two that needs working out." Justin calmed down and thought about Trent's words. In the Aspertia City Tournament he froze up and let Gligar get hit by an attack it could have dodged. Maybe it was afraid of being hurt because of Justin's mistakes in the past so it took matters into its own hands? He felt bad, but he wanted to make it up to Gligar and Scyther, since the same thing happened to it yesterday against Carlos's Marshtomp. He put out his arm and smiled at Gligar.

"I'm sorry Gligar. I know that I need to work on myself as a trainer before we can function together in a battle and I know that it's because of my mistakes that you act the way you do so please… give me another chance as your trainer and we can work together to improve ourselves!" Gligar looked at Justin for a few seconds and broke out into a smile. It jumped onto his face and Justin stumbled backwards, flailing about like a Magikarp out of water. Trent and many others were laughing, but Justin was happy. Happy to make amends with his teams for his mistakes…

Lunch came after Technology and Pokémon and their new teacher has yet to show themselves. The only sign that someone was in the room before them was a note saying that they would meet their new teacher tomorrow. Justin was searching for any sign of Elesa or Skyla so that he could ask them any kind of advice on what to do on a date. He meandered throughout the cafeteria and the outside eating areas but found no sign of them anywhere. He was about to give up hope until he picked up on a conversation by two girls behind him.

"I heard that the roof's lounge was pretty nice."

"Yeah, but it's so high up! What if we fell?"

"Relax, there's a lounge you can sit in that isn't close to the railing and it covered so we have shade!"

"I don't know…" The roof was the one place he didn't expect to look. He picked up the rest of his lunch and made his way for the elevator to the rooftop lounge. The elevator ride was shorter than he remembered, but that was probably because he was antsy. The elevator came to a halt and the doors came open. The lounge seemed empty, but there was mumbling he heard from behind the elevator. He walked around quietly and saw Elesa pacing back and forth. She had a frantic look about her and it seemed like she was stressed out. Her usually neat hair was out of place and icy blue eyes were filled with worries.

"Elesa?" The blonde stopped her pacing and turned with a gasp when she saw who was behind her.

"J-Justin! Oh what a, uh, unexpected surprise! What are you doing up here?" Justin already had his story figured out and told it cleanly without any stutters or pauses.

"You should know why I'm up here. I come up to think and relax sometimes. What were you doing that has you all stressed out?" She sat down on the cushions in the lounge and sighed.

"I'm thinking too."

"About what if I may ask?" She looked away and didn't answer for a while.

"…Stuff."

"Well that's specific." She turned around and saw that a slight blush colored her cheeks. She was twirling one of her headphone cords around in a circle and then she met his eyes…

**Elesa's POV**

She looked into his eyes with caution. She was still trying to sort out her feelings from last Saturday, but had no success. She could feel the heat coming into her cheeks and was ashamed that she might be attracted to her best friend's crush. Ever since she was alone with him on Saturday, she had gotten to see what he was really like. Though the saying may be cliché, it was true that you can't judge a book by its cover. When she first saw him when she landed on the island on the first day, she took notice that he was the only boy who wasn't groveling at her feet. She assumed that it was all an act to look cool, but now that she had gotten the chance to speak with him, she learned that he just didn't care if she were a model or not, he cared about who she really was. It made him stand out from everyone else, but she still had difficulty accepting the fact that she may like her stalker. She wanted to know whether or not if he was the stalker so she could rest easy, but at the same time she didn't want to know so that she wouldn't feel heartbroken. She often drifted off into fantasies about the stalker when she was alone. The idea that he was the stalker that had seen her in a towel terrified her at first, but now she was having dirty thoughts and was even coming up with plans on how she would… "Torment" Justin should he prove to be the stalker. The fantasies made her all hot and bothered and she couldn't help but think about them… it just turned her on so much… No! What was she thinking?! If he was the stalker than she would report him to the police, the headmaster, she would get the word out as fast as she could… or would she? Maybe she would purposely bait him so that she could have her way with him… She didn't realize that she had been spaced out for about a full minute and she just now realized how close Justin's face was to hers.

"You alright Elesa? You were zoned out for a while there."

"I-I'm perfectly fine!" She moved her head so she wouldn't be so close to his face. The question she had wanted to ask him was out of her head. She felt lost and didn't know what to say right now and instead just spoke without thinking.

"Do you want to go out somewhere on the weekend?" The suddenness of the question surprised not only Justin but Elesa as well. The both of them had blank looks and were obviously thinking of something to say.

"Uh… this weekend?" Elesa nodded and Justin scratched his head in thought. After what seemed to be ages he finally answered. "Can we go on Sunday? That's the only day I'm free." Elesa nodded blankly and Justin exhaled. Just when the atmosphere of awkwardness couldn't get any worse, the elevator door opened and out of it came Skyla. Her red headed friend stopped and gawked at the scene before her.

"Oh… I didn't know you were up here too Elesa…" Elesa got up quickly and tried to explain the situation to her friend.

"Skyla! This isn't what you think it is. We were just talking!" Skyla's expression softened and she turned to Justin and wrapped her arms around him in a slightly protective hug.

"I believe you Elesa; I just came up here to ask Justin something. So Justin…" She sat down next to him and was placed her head on his shoulder, looking at him with innocent Lillipup eyes. "You want to go with me to the amusement park on Sunday? Truth is that even though I love flying, I still can't handle rollercoasters… at least not by myself." Elesa felt the jealousy flood her mind. This was how she felt when they were out in the main island on Saturday, though she felt much more jealous now. She didn't dare cuddle up to Justin in fear that he may tell Skyla about her actions and Elesa didn't want to betray her friend's trust. She just silently watched them, but then realized a problem within her request. Justin must have realized it as well and was already beginning to speak.

"I can't' do Sunday Skyla, I told Elesa that I would go with her on Sunday right before you came here." Skyla looked at Elesa and she felt rather small at the moment. Her friend was looking at her with disbelief and she could sense the slight anger in her voice when she spoke.

"What are you going to do when you're there Elesa?"

"I-I don't know… I didn't really think that through when I asked." She still looked at her with that look of frustration then sighed aggressively.

"I see then… well Justin, why don't you just head back down the elevator and go about the rest of your day. I need to talk with Elesa."

"Is there a problem you guys? If there is, I'm more than happy to help fix it." Skyla giggled and lightly pecked Justin's cheek with a small kiss.

"That's what makes you great! You always want to help, no matter what the problem is, but honestly, I got this one okay?" Justin looked at the two of them and finally got up.

"Alright if you say so…" The elevator opened and it slowly descended with a slight hum. When the elevator's sound was but a faint whisper, Skyla got up from her seat and gave Elesa a leer that would scare a Cofagrigus.

"Why did you ask him out on a date?"

"I-I didn't! I just asked him if he wanted to hang out!"

"That's the same as a date! You know I like him Elesa, so why would you do that?" Skyla began to tear up and her sentence was broken up by sobs. "Friends help *sob* friends…right?"

"Yeah, they do, but I acted on impulse, I'm sorry Skyla. I'll cancel with him okay? I'll tell him that something came up and I can't go."

"No!" Skyla's protest of her offer surprised Elesa.

"Why not? Don't you want to go with him?" Skyla's sobs lessened and she wiped her eyes with the sleeve of her jacket.

"It's not right if I let you just cancel a date when you were the first ask him. So I propose a different idea."

"What kind of idea?" Skyla's eyes lighted up mischievously and Elesa guessed what she would ask.

"A battle, loser cancels their date." Elesa really didn't want to accept to this battle. She wanted to go on a date with him and even though she had an advantage over her friend if they should battle, she didn't want to take any risks. However she felt bad for her friend; they had been through a lot and to steal time with Justin from her was like stealing another person's Pokémon.

"O-Okay, but where?" Skyla grabbed Elesa's hand and lead her outside.

"Out here of course!" Of course she would want plenty of air space, she was an expert with Flying-types, but Elesa had the type advantage. Elesa and Skyla took their positions on their rooftop arena and stared each other down. "One-on-one like old times Elesa!" Why would Skyla pick a Pokémon battle as her way of contest when she knew that Elesa held the advantage? "Let's go Swanna!" An elegant swan-like Pokémon flew out of its ball and now circled overhead gracefully.

"Emolga, light 'im up!" Elesa called out the electric flying squirrel and it began fly overhead as well, catching an air current so it could lightly glide on. It was a cute Pokémon, but most people who don't take it seriously fall victim to its wide array of attacks. "Let's start Emolga, use Acrobatics!" The Sky Squirrel Pokémon nimbly glided to strike Swanna.

"I see you've learned a few things from my Flying-types! Swanna use Water Pulse!" The bird Pokémon charged up a sphere of water and was preparing to launch it at Emolga, but Elesa was too quick.

"Quick use Double Team!" Emolga transitioned from Acrobatics into a speddy Double Teram flawlessly. There were now multiple copies of Emolga that formed a circle around a now confused Swanna. Skyla was losing her cool as well because she recklessly used Water Pulse on a fake target. "Emolga use Spark!" Emolga emerged from behind Swanna and was charging it with an electrified tackle. Swanna noticed the attack from behind and narrowly escaped the super-effective hit."Emolga use Volt Switch!" The flying squirrel glided from below and launched a ball of electricity at Swanna.

"Swanna use Hurricane!" The elegant swan flapped its wings vigorously and whipped up a huge tornado that blocked the orb of electricity. "Now use Aqua Ring!" The swan now enveloped itself in a halo of water that was healing its fatigue.

"Emolga stop it with a Quick Attack!" Emolga moved like a bolt of lightning and landed a direct hit onto Swanna. The bird plummeted and Emolga went in with the follow up Spark.

"Swanna use Bubblebeam!" Jets of bubbles were sent against Emolga and they obscured its vision long enough for Swanna to escape and fly behind it. "Now use Air Slash!" With a flap of its wings, a blade of condensed air struck Emolga and knocked it out of the sky.

"No Emolga!" At its trainer's words, Emolga stopped its fall and gained altitude once again.

"Swanna, Hurricane!" the bird flapped its wings once again, but the time it would take to generate enough power was too long and Elesa had a clear shot.

"Emolga glide into the sun!" The squirrel obeyed and was now invisible in the bright light of the sun. Swanna stopped the charge and was now searching for its adversary in the sun. "Now strike Emolga! Use Discharge!" From the flaming orb of the sun, a flurry of bright electrical tendrils shot out in all directions, randomly going upon a path of their own choosing. The sight was spectacular and Elesa was proud of this combo. Not only was it a dazzling display, but it also worked incredibly well strategically since the bright flash of the electricity couldn't be seen until it was too late. Swanna attempted to dodge the charges and was avoiding them fairly well until a stray bolt struck its wing. Swanna squawked in agony and fell down, slowly approaching the surface. Elesa was ecstatic to say the least, but she held it in to not make Skyla feel bad. Elesa's mini celebration was cut short however when Swanna slowly recovered from the attack due to its Aqua Ring. The swan Pokémon climbed up to equal altitude and was now staring at Emolga, who had descended from the coverage of the sun. Skyla closed her eyes and said calmly,

"Hurricane." Swanna began to flap its wings again, but the charging process was taking longer due to its injured wing.

"Emolga let's finish this with a Spark!" Emolga lashed out and went in for the knockout. Skyla still had her eyes shut and Elesa saw the wind star to pick up. The wind blew her friend's hair to the right and then she opened her eyes.

"Use Hurricane to the right side of Emolga!" Swanna's attack was unleashed and the unforgiving lashes of wind blew once again. Elesa was confused as to why Skyla chose to do this when Emolga was right in front of Swanna. Then the wind blew again, and Elesa realized why she did what she did. She couldn't stop what was about to happen, so she just watched in despair as the wind blew Emolga slightly off course and landed it in the middle of the vicious Hurricane. The Sky Squirrel was tossed about like a rag doll and the cyclone petered out. Emolga fell to the surface of the roof, but Elesa returned it before it could suffer further harm. Skyla praised her Swanna on an excellent performance and went to Elesa. She held out her hand and had a kind smile on her face. "No hard feelings okay?" Elesa reluctantly shook her friend's hand and went to the elevator. When the doors were closed she let a small tear run down her face. She didn't hate Skyla, but her jealousy was taking control and she didn't know how much longer she could hold back before she would snap…

**Justin's POV**

Justin sat down in one of the chairs in the waiting lounge by the Pokémon Center. He wondered about what the two of them were doing on the roof that was taking so long. He never got the chance to ask either of them about his dilemma. Something bothered him and it was the closeness and protectiveness that Skyla displayed around him. She always seemed to become much more protective of him when he was around other girls. Her vice grip hug on the roof grip and the small kiss on his cheek only proved to cement that he was right. He felt embarrassed to have that happen to him because he wasn't used to that kind of treatment from girls. He felt like Skyla was a good friend, but do friends always have close physical contact between them or do they sometimes kiss each other on the cheek? No was Justin's answer and he didn't know whether or not he wanted to have such a relationship yet. Now he was hypocritical, he wanted that sort of relationship with Carmen, that was why he asked her out, but Skyla was a friend. A very attractive friend no doubt, but he wasn't sure what to do about his feelings. He liked Skyla, but was it as a friend or was it the way he liked Carmen? It was all so confusing and he remembered why he didn't want a girlfriend in the first place and it was because of all the things he didn't know about women yet. He brushed the thoughts away and sank into the chair, looking down the corridor. He heard footsteps from behind him and saw the white lab cloak of the enigmatic Colress. Colress noticed Justin and went to stand in front of the chair in front of Justin.

"Mr. Evoran, a pleasure to see you again!"

"You too, uh, mister…"

"You can just call me Colress. I have no qualms about being informal." He took a seat in the chair he was standing in front of and was now looking at Justin through the thin layer of glass that covered his amber eyes.

"So… Colress… what did you want to speak to me about." He shifted in his chair, uncomfortable with the friendliness of this mysterious man.

"You know on the way here to the island, Mr. Black told me many good things about you."

"Like what?"

"He told me that he taught you a few things himself before he went to the Johto region and that you'd already shown that you were an exceptional trainer for your age." Trent really said that about him? If he did feel that way, he never told him during the time that he had taught him. Justin never that he was a good trainer anyways. Colress relaxed and clasped his hands together. "His stories about you and your friends piqued my interest and I was hoping that you would listen to an offer of mine." An offer? It sounded a lot like when Scott asked him to come to the academy six months back, but this offer did not have him excited. Before any further questioning could happen, a series of small beeps led Colress to one of his lab pockets. He pulled out a small device and Justin could swear he saw a logo on the back of it, but it was obscured by Colress's lab coat. "I have to go Justin; an issue has arisen with my new office."

"You're new office?"

"Yes, I didn't mention it, but I'm your new Technology and Pokémon professor." A weight seemed to drop into Justin's chest. He didn't know why, but he felt a slight twinge of fear at these words. Colress being his new professor made Justin uncomfortable for unknown reasons. "Well I've got to go; I hope we can continue this conversation some other time." Colress put his device in his coat pocket and left for his new office. Justin got up as well and decided to go back to his dorm, it was getting late and waiting for the girls wasn't going to help him. As he went to the main atrium to head to his dorms, he heard the rooftop elevator open. He looked back and saw Elesa with her head in his hands. What had happened upstairs? He went to go ask her what happened, but she ran the opposite direction. Skyla followed a few seconds after and she seemed to be okay. She ran over to Justin and gently held his hand.

"What's wrong with Elesa?"

"I don't know, but she told me that something came up and that she couldn't go with you on Sunday, so will you go with me instead?" Justin nodded. A day at the famous Pokémon Island Amusement Park seemed fun and harmless. However, Elesa's appearance bothered him and he couldn't help but feel responsible somehow.

"Do you think she'll be okay?" Skyla looked sad and sighed.

"I hope she is. I'll talk to her, bye Justin." She released his hand and followed Elesa. Justin walked away and headed for his dorm. He passed the staff lounge and saw that it was slightly open. The staff room was off limit to students unless you had permission to go inside. Curiosity controlled him and he peered through the opening and saw that it was empty. He pushed the door open slightly and saw why the lounge was off limits. There were vending machines, TV's, multiple cushy chairs, and other forms of entertainment and relaxation strewn all over the room. The student's rooms were very nice, but the staff lounge put them to shame. He didn't dare touch anything so that no one would know that he was inside of the room. He walked around examining the room and he heard the far-off sound of voices. He hid behind one of the larger chairs and realized that he left the door open. The voices were now closer and he could hear the sound of footsteps coming into the room. The voices of two staff members he didn't know were now clear and they sounded frantic.

"…I 'm telling you that no one has seen or heard from him since last weekend!"

"You're saying that he left without a trace?"

"Yes!" Justin lay hunkered down and was listening with interest. Who had snuck out on the weekend?

"Well do we know what his name is?"

"Nope, his roommates said he never told them his name and that he never talked to any of them."

"Do they know what he looks like?"

"He had very red hair… they said it was the color of lava." Justin already knew who it was and wanted to tell them, but he realized that he was in a restricted room. He slowly crawled and went outside and no sooner than his foot left the doorway, one of the two voices said,

"Was the door wide open when we left?" Justin saw the frantic running of the staff members, but he was already halfway up in the elevator to his dorm and was gazing at them through the glass case, trying to absorb what he had just heard. Things were getting interesting on the island…

**Somewhere in Unova…**

The man was looking at his multiple screens once again and was patiently waiting for his infiltrator to contact him. All the screens lit up at once and were now containing the face of his infiltrator. He lightly smiled and reclined in his chair.

"How are things going?" His infiltrator's face was obscured by the darkness of the room he was standing in, but his voice was clear.

"Fine, they suspect nothing." One of the man's rare smiles crossed his face and he lightly chuckled.

"Excellent, how is the other doing?"

"I do not know for sure, but from what I've seen, they're doing just fine. As a matter of fact, I believe that they have already put their operation in motion." The man was now booming with laughter and kept his sadistic grin on his face.

"Perfect… you've done well. Contact me when you have made it to phase two."

"Of course sir." The screens were blank and now the man clutched the edges of his chair and listened to the soft growls that were coming from beyond his walls. He closed his eyes and rested his head on the back of the chair.

"**Soon my tool of destruction…soon…"**

** So our mysterious friend's plans are going perfectly, but what are his plans? What is wrong with Elesa and has Skyla possibly caused a feud between her and her best friend. How will Justin come up with ideas for his potential date with Carmen and what of the news of the mysterious disappearance? All this and more will be shown in chapter 11! Liked what you read or did you think that it needs work? Leave a review and tell me what you thought! Have an idea you're just itching to share or do you need help with a story in progress? Join the forum and see what the counselors of Pokémon Academy can do for you! Who's your favorite Pokémon Academy Girl? Vote on the new poll! Want to send in an OC, have a question, or want to discuss a certain issue? Don't be afraid to send me a PM! I'm happy to look through OC's and answer questions! Thanks for reading and look for the new chapter on Sunday! **

-**N-Black, out**


	11. Chapter 11

** N-Black is back with the eleventh chapter of Pokémon Academy! Justin has succeeded in landing not just one, but TWO dates! (Like A Boss!) However he sees the time that Skyla wants with him as being time with a friend. Not only that, but now he feels guilty about what happened with Elesa. And what has happened to our volcano-headed friend? All this and more will be found in the eleventh chapter!**

** Chapter 11: The Poison of Words**

That night was full of excitement, questions, and worrying. Justin had told Carlos and Ethan about the incident on the roof, how Skyla acts around him, how Elesa was apparently crying after coming down the elevator, Colress talking to him , and most importantly the news on Silver. Ethan scratched the back of his head since his hat prevented any other kind of contact.

"This is a lot to take in…" Carlos was rocking back and forth on one of the chairs and had his fingers pressed to his temples. He had his eyes shut in what was apparently deep concentration or he was trying to resist another gas attack. Carlos had a rather nasty looking Tamato berry sandwich and despite Justin and Ethan's warnings, he ate it anyway saying that it was packed full of essential nutrients needed to maintain a healthy lifestyle. He was now suffering from the side effects of spicy Tamato berry; it was something Justin called the Electrode Effect. It was a simple theory that only consisted of the unexpected bouts of explosive gas that occurred every once in a while; much like an Electrode or Voltorb. Carlos was now sweating and Justin guessed it was the Electrode Effect taking place. Carlos got up and ran straight for the bathroom and shut the door. They wouldn't be going into the bathroom for the next two days unless they were in hazmat suits. Ignoring the grotesque sounds emanating from the bathroom, Ethan continued to speak, "So what I'm the most curious about is this Colress character and his interest in you."

"Yeah, I don't know what it is, but that guy has something off about him. I guess you'll see what I mean tomorrow when we all see him." The sound of the toilet flushing became louder when the door to the bathroom opened and Carlos came out seeming five pounds lighter. He took his seat and gave out a relaxed sigh.

"You know what has me worried? The disappearance of that volcano-headed punk." Justin nodded his head and remembered that burning desire to settle the score with Silver.

"I agree. It seems real dubious that Silver left without a trace." Ethan nodded with comprehension, but Carlos looked confused.

"Silver? Who's that?" Justin and Ethan were confused as well. Then Justin realized that they never said Silver's name in front of Carlos yet just in case Carlos wanted to exact some well-earned revenge.

"That's volcano-head's name." Carlos merely sat in silence and looked into space. Justin knew that Carlos hadn't forgiven Silver for his word's the last time they saw him. "Anyways, I guess we'll find out about all these occurrences in the future; news of students disappearing tends to travel fast anyways." With that said the trio went to bed, but none of them were able to get much sleep tonight… too much was happening on their small island and soon, more things will be happening…

**Skylas's POV**

Skyla pursued her best friend to try and comfort her. She went to the bathroom since it was a great place to vent emotions. She opened the door to the girl's bathroom, but saw no one inside of it. Frustrated, she went back to her room and had full confidence that Elesa was inside. She opened the door and ran inside. She looked at Elesa's bed and saw that it was empty and the only sound in the room was the water of the shower. Skyla thought about bursting into the bathroom, but if it was Lyra in there, things would be really awkward. Skyla knocked on the door and she heard Lyra's voice call back.

"Is that you Skyla?" How Lyra knew it was her, she would never know.

"Yeah, did you see Elesa?"

"She told me through the door here that she was going to spend the night in Flannery's room. Did something happen Skyla?" She looked down at the ground and quietly answered.

"Yeah…" She lumbered over to her bed and laid down. She didn't mean to hurt her like this. She never wanted to hurt her in the first place. They were best friends and now they seemed so distant. Lyra came out from the shower in her pajamas and sat down next to her. She had a worried look in her eyes and she had the presence of a concerned mother.

"It's something about Justin isn't it?" Lyra's natural parental instincts made it easy for her to pinpoint the problems of Skyla and Elesa. She nodded and Lyra let her shoulders sag. "That guy is trouble… but he doesn't mean to be. Trouble seems to find him. He kind of reminds me of Thomas…"

"Who's Thomas?" Lyra looked off into the distance and sighed.

"Guy I knew before. He was an exchange student from Sunnyshore City in Sinnoh." Lyra took a comb and was now running it through her hair. "I met him back in trainer school. He was a wild guy, but funny." She plopped the comb on the bed and turned around and kept speaking, this time with a hint of sadness in her voice. "But it was if Arceus cursed him with the ability to attract danger." Lyra got up and Skyla closed her eyes, preparing to sleep. So Lyra had someone that left her before as well… She hoped that Elesa wouldn't abandon her. After all… friends help friends…

**Justin's POV**

First period was Pokémon Battling 101 and Justin could hardly remain awake during it. He had gotten minimal sleep last night and he saw that Carlos and Ethan weren't holding up very well either. Justin's view was getting fuzzy and the only thing that knocked him back into real time was the sound of Brandon's voice.

"CLASS! FRONT AND CENTER!" The class congregated and there many whispering conversations going on about what could've made him angry this time. "Class, we have a visitor!" Brandon motioned to the doorway and Justin saw a rather slender woman with pale skin dressed in a lavender top with no sleeves that displayed her midsection. She had black slacks and wore a golden zigzag pattern belt with lavender high heels. She had fore arm length gloves of the same color as her top, black hair that had two streaks of red in them, and cheri berry red eyes. She was accompanied by Carmen and the mysterious lady wore an overconfident smirk on her face. The woman displayed a sense of power and seductiveness, but Justin knew that she was venomous. Brandon scowled and the lines on his face deepened. "Well if it isn't the illustrious Pike Queen Lucy! So my fellow Frontier Brain, what brings you to my class?" The woman looked highly uninterested in Brandon and she went to inspect her nails.

"I'm not interested in what you have to say Brandon." The exclusion of his title obviously made Brandon seethe. He spoke through gritted teeth, trying to restrain his temper.

"I called you by your title, so isn't it fair that you call me by mine?" The woman named Lucy scoffed at his remark and turned to look at Brandon with her red eyes.

"I dropped my title when I left the Battle Frontier and though I'm proud of my accomplishments, I'm by no means an egomaniac like you are… Brandon." She clearly emphasized his name to make him snap.

"AAAARRRRRGHHHHH! OH YOU SNAKE WOMAN! I SWEAR I'LL, I'LL…" Lucy and some of the class were now laughing at Brandon's frustration. Justin had to admit it was entertaining to see Brandon get put into his place like this, but he felt like something was going to go wrong.

"Careful Brandon, you don't want to do something you'll regret later." At Lucy's words Brandon immediately went white as a sheet. Justin knew that Lucy was obviously blackmailing Brandon and now he felt sorry for his Professor. Sure he was an egomaniac, but no one deserves to be blackmailed. "Now I'm sure you'll let me speak without interruption." Lucy stepped forward and was now facing the class. "I'm here for one reason students and one reason only!" She looked over the class and smiled. "To show you all that the girls that I counsel are not to be taken lightly!" She spoke with vigor and Justin wondered why she felt so convicted. "I want to show you how much talent we have and to show everyone that we are a force to be reckoned with! So will you accept my challenge?" The class murmured and she scanned the class once again. She locked eyes with Justin and pointed to him. "What about you Mr. Evoran? I've heard many _interesting _things about you." There were a few giggles from some of the girls and Justin guessed they were under Lucy's counseling. Just what kinds of interesting things did she know? A sudden jolt of fear shot through Justin. That sinking feeling set in and he wondered if she knew about the peeping incident. How many others knew about it? Just as he thought, this woman was poisonous and he was certain that he didn't like her. Brandon seemed to regain some of his old confidence and he spoke, but in a hoarse voice.

"L-Lucy… you shouldn't pick him. He's counseled by Scott; choose one of my students instead…" Lucy turned her head and gave him a venomous look.

"Silence! I'm tired of hearing your voice!" She took a deep breath and exhaled with impatience. "I am not one for idle chatter, now Mr. Evoran come forward and face Carmen in battle! Let us see which of you is more skillful." He felt as if he had no choice but to go up and battle Carmen. He looked around and saw that all eyes were on him and he felt his heart beat quicken tenfold. What made it worse was that she had called him out in front of all these people and if he backed down he would look like a complete wimp. Even if he chose to battle, he would be facing Carmen and if he won, Justin guessed that their possible date was going to be canceled. On the flip side, if he lost, he would be too ashamed to show his face around anyone and it isn't because losing to a girl would make him feel bad; when he was in Aspertia, Rosa beat him in battles a lot. His anxiety was because of Lucy. Should he lose, he had the upmost confidence that she would go around flaunting the news of Carmen's victory campus wide for the days to come. He must have remained in the same spot for a while and before he could walk forward, another voice sounded from within the class.

"Ms. Lucy, with all due respect…" The person who spoke came out of the crowd and Justin saw Jaret with a deadly serious look in his eye. "I can't let you do that to my counselor or Justin." Lucy was obviously angry at Jaret's intervention, but she didn't speak. "Sure Brandon is a little stuck up sometimes, but he's my counselor. He's done a lot for me and I'm not going to let you walk all him over like this without going through me first." Trent walked forward with the same expression that Jaret had.

"Jaret, let me talk to her." Jaret simply nodded and walked behind Trent. Lucy smiled with false astonishment.

"Ah Trent Black! Always a pleasure to see a former alumnus here at the academy! I heard that you were offered the position of assisting Brandon here with teaching." Trent nodded.

"Listen Lucy." A scowl appeared on Lucy's face; Justin guessed it was because of Trent's lack of formality.

"You listen to me boy! I will not be told what to do by a teaching assistant! You have no authority over me. I simply seek to challenge one of the students, is this not Battling 101?!" Justin could tell that Lucy was losing her patience. Before she could continue the bell for second period rang and the students bean to walk out to their next classes. Before anyone could spot him, Justin ran for the door with Carlos and Ethan. He glanced over his shoulder and saw that Lucy was looking towards him with pure fury. Her red eyes were menacing and full of vile intent. The three of them stopped running in the hallway and caught their breath. Carlos was the first to speak.

"T-That was weird. What does that Lucy lady want with you anyway?"

"I don't know!" The three of them walked towards Technology and Pokémon and Justin's anxiety went up even further. He remembered who was teaching their next class and he wondered how much worse today could get. The class walked in and the Professor's desk was empty. Justin took the highest possible seat and put his head down on the table. Carlos was running his hands through his messy hair and shook his head.

"Y'know that Lucy lady would be pretty, but every Roselia has its thorns." Justin couldn't agree more. The class was rambunctious to say the least. Everyone was being wild and there was no order what so ever. However, everyone settled down when Colress walked through the door. His lab coat flowed behind him and his face carried a smile. He approached the console by his desk and dimmed the lights around the classroom except the ones by the teaching platform so that all you could see was him. The screen behind him lit up with an image of an ordinary Pokéball.

"My name is Colress and I'm your new Technology and Pokémon professor. Now that my introduction is out of the way I want to get right down to business." He pointed to the image of the Pokéball. "The Pokéball… it is the greatest technological link to Pokémon we have. It lets us capture Pokémon so that we may befriend them. How was such a device made though? Who had the idea to make the Pokéball?" He paced the teaching platform and stopped in the middle. "Science is fact and no experiment was done without a risk! Whether it is something as small as the loss of a beaker or something as big as your own life, science requires risk. The person who developed the Pokéball was under great pressure to make this miraculous device. If it wasn't for that single person taking the risk to correctly make the complicated system of the Pokéball, trainers, the Pokémon League, this very institution you are studying in would not exist! I tell you this because I want you all to reach your full potential as trainers and to do that you must understand why you are able to even train Pokemon in the first place!" Colress's speech was impressive and Justin understood what he meant. If it wasn't for the scientist risking their time and reputation, no one would be able to train Pokémon. "Now students, I will pass out a worksheet about the interior of the Pokéball and I want you to all label and explain the inner workings of the device." The class was hard at work and many were working in groups to complete the difficult assignment. Justin was working with Carlos and Ethan, but the three of them weren't able to get much of it done. The bell rang and they tuned in what they had to Colress at the end of class.

"Their last two periods went by fast and were easy and very laid back. Justin was glad; he didn't want any more excitement today. Lunch was surprisingly serene and Carlos avoided anything that had a Tamato berry in it. Justin felt so comfortable that he decide to eat underneath his least favorite tree. Despite the bad memories it held, Justin was in the cool shade and he understood why that troublesome Murkrow stayed here. He was still going to get his necklace back and exact some sweet revenge on that bird, but he didn't feel like doing anything. The day was getting better and it improved even more when Carmen decided to sit by him. He nearly choked on his food when she sat in front of him.

"C-Carmen! H-How are you?"

"Listen I'm… sorry about what happened with Ms. Lucy in first period today."

"Why're you sorry?" She looked away and kept speaking.

"Because it was uncalled for. Ms. Lucy wants to see her students be the best, but she's trouble sometimes… she doesn't mind doing _whatever_ it takes to get her way." Justin nodded and understood what must've happened.

"So she put you up to battle didn't she?" She looked a little surprised and she nodded. Silence hung in the air and Carmen broke it with another question.

"So… what time did you want to meet up on Saturday?" Justin raised his eyebrows and smiled.

"So you're going on Saturday?" She grunted and stammered.

"I-I meant if I, uh, did go and I need to know, um, where as well…" Justin thought about it for a few seconds and knew that he would have to push it of later in the day so that he could go train with Cynthia as well.

"How about we meet at four in the central plaza clock tower?" Carmen got up and straightened her skirt.

"Okay then. You better not keep me waiting out there cause…" Justin raised a hand to interrupt her and spoke smoothly.

"I know, I know… because it's rude to keep a lady waiting." She chuckled softly and walked over to him. She gently grasped his chin and brought his ear to her lips. She spoke and Justin could feel the warmth of her breath tickle his ear.

"No it's not that… if you leave me waiting… I'll kick your ass." She released her grip on his chin and walked away. Justin felt like this day had a rough start, but it all turned out well in the end. He realized that he hadn't finished his lunch and by now it was cold. Justin was in a giving mood so he placed the remainder of his lunch onto a secure looking branch in his least favorite tree. He smiled and said to the Murkrow hiding within,

"Truce." He walked away and thought, "**For now at least…**" On his way back to his dorm, his Xtransceiver beeped. He opened it up and saw that he had a message from the school. He opened up the message and it read,

"_Dear Mr. Evoran, _

_Ms. Lucy would like to have word with you in the counseling offices by on the fourth floor. She says that it is urgent and that Scott entrusted her with telling you the news._

_ -Thank You for Your Time, Samuel Oak, Headmaster"_

This whole message seemed to be way off base and Justin wondered if Lucy had dirt on the headmaster as well. It was unlikely, but if this was from the headmaster he couldn't ignore it. He U-Turned like Gligar and went to the elevator. It climbed steadily and stopped in the counseling floor. The doors opened and he walked into the empty hallway. He passed Scott and Brandon's office and he finally saw the Lucy's office. He knocked, but there was no response. He tried again, but there was no change. He tried the door and it was open. He walked in slowly and shut the door and realized just how dark the room was. The only light was a faint glow up ahead. He walked slowly and cautiously; the feeling the room gave him was like he was stuck in a pit of Arbok. He finally made it to the source of the glow and saw that the light was coming from a few candles mounted on the wall. There was an ornate desk in front of him and he was startled by the sudden voice that came from behind a thin curtain in front of him.

"Lovely isn't it?" From the curtain came Lucy but she was in a lavender night gown. Her red eyes glowed like rubies in the darkness of the room. "I prefer candles to the regular lighting the school has given me. It's much more serene… much more… sensual." She walked slowly over to her chair and gestured towards Justin telling him to sit down. Justin sat down and felt trapped in the room. He felt constricted and he wished that he ignored the e-mail he received. Lucy placed her elbows on the table and let her head rest on her folded hands. "I called you over to tell you the news that Scott has relayed to me. Scott has told me that you are to report to me about any issues you may have, since he is busy dealing with a very difficult issue. He has sent most of the boys over to Brandon for the time being, but he requested that I handle your issues for the time being." Justin's internal red flags were raised and he knew that something was wrong.

"Uh, Ms. Lucy?" She looked at him softly gestured with her hand to continue. "What is Scott trying to do?"

"A good question! The staff has been trying to keep it under wraps, but they said that a student might have overheard their conversation." Justin guessed that it was about the disappearance of Silver. "What I'm about to tell you must not leave this room, understood?" He nodded and she relaxed. "You see, a student went missing last weekend and Scott is trying his hardest to find him. He's a soft guy and wants to see his students succeed. He's been working night and day to locate him so he doesn't have the time to help the rest of his students." She rose up out of her seat and poured some berry juice into a glass goblet. "Would you like some?" Justin's internal red flags were still raised and they told him to reject any and all food Lucy may offer him.

"I'm fine, but thanks." She returned to her seat without drinking any of the berry juice and swirled it around in her glass for a few seconds.

"Well then Justin… that's all there is to talk about, oh, and I must apologize for my behavior in first period. That wasn't a very good first impression for me to make. I just wanted to display Carmen's talents, but then Brandon stepped in, then that boy Jaret, then Trent Black… I'm sorry, I keep droning on and on. I need to give you this." She opened up a drawer in her desk and pulled out a file. "This contains the weekly schedule we will be meeting by; it also contains the topic we will be discussing. I' m going to make sure that you receive proper counseling and if there's anything you need… don't hesitate to ask." As Justin was going to pick up the file, Lucy grabbed his hand unexpectedly. "You're shaking Justin… and your palms are sweaty. Do you feel nervous about something?" He was indeed nervous and it was about having to meet Lucy in this dark constricting room every few days for who knows how many weeks.

"I'm fine… I'm just tired and I have homework to do." Her hand has cold and she still held his. She looked at him her red eyes and nodded her head.

"Very well then. Go to your dorm and complete your assignments." Lucy had a small smile on her face. "I look forward to our future appointments." Justin exited the room and was happy to see the lights of the academy once again. The very thought of having to go into that room with her alone made his skin crawl. His day was just about to end on a high note, but everything seemed so melancholy. He opened the file she had given him and saw the schedule had him penciled in for Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays every week. Three days every week in that room was going to be his worst nightmare and he couldn't get out of it even if he wanted to. What did she want with him? What made Scott think that letting her handle him would be a good idea? There was something terribly wrong and he was going to get to the bottom of it…

**Dun, Dun…. DUUUNNNNNN! So Lucy is Justin's temporary counselor. What is her interest in him and why would Scott do such a thing? Something dark is brewing on the academy and Justin's only escape from it are his friends, Pokémon, and his upcoming dates! Don't forget to drop a beautiful review to tell me what you thought! Vote on the poll and check out the forum! Till Wednesday readers!**

** -N-Black, out**


	12. Chapter 12

**Yo, yo, yo! N-Black is back with a new chapter for all you awesome readers out there! First off, I'd like to thank you guys for reading the story and leaving me all these great reviews and ideas. All the positive feedback really motivates me to write the best story that I can and I'm really glad that you're enjoying the story. Well without further delay… **

**Chapter 12: Old Flames…**

Lucy was talking about her past as the Pike Queen, but Justin couldn't care less. He was zoning out from her story and was thinking about battles and how he could improve. His visits to Lucy's office were never school related. All she usually talked about was her past and she frequently asked Justin to share his. He made sure to keep his story as vague as possible. He didn't want Lucy to know anymore about him than she might already. Justin was snapped out of his daydream when Lucy's chair squeaked against the floor. She moved to that bottle of conspicuous berry juice and opened it. Justin was offered the same juice at his meeting yesterday and this time he brought a bottle of fresh water so he could refuse it without looking paranoid. Lucy always poured herself a glass, but never drank it and Justin was sure that there was something up with the juice.

"Justin I need to step outside for a few moments so I can give Professor Oak these documents on your behavior and school progress. Relax, make yourself at home." Lucy grabbed a folder and walked out of the room. The door closed and Justin let out a sigh of relief. He had been seeing more of that lady than he wanted to. How could he make himself comfortable in a room that held a person like that? Lucy had said that she wanted to get to know him on a personal level. Pssh, like that would happen! He was uncomfortable sitting in the chair for so long and decided to wander about the candle-lit office. His eyes gravitated towards the berry juice and Justin walked towards it and picked it up cautiously. He held it as if it were a hazardous material. He opened the glass bottle and carefully wafted the smell of the berries into his nose. The juice smelled sweet like Pecha berries, but there was more to it than that. He grabbed his nearly empty water bottle and filled it up with just a little of the juice so it wasn't obvious he had taken some. Lucy's footsteps could be heard through the door and Justin scrambled to close the bottle and return to his seat. He had just sat down when the door clicked open. "Professor Oak was quite pleased when he saw your progress. You look like your doing well in all your classes so that's great." She was behind him and was running her thin fingers slowly through his wavy hair. The sensation was disturbing and it made his skin crawl. She continued to talk while she did this and Justin was struggling to not bat her hands away. Arceus only knows what would happen if he did do that. "You're all tensed up. What's wrong? Maybe you need a soothing massage, I'm sure that will loosen you up…" The words rolled off her tongue with suave. Unbeknownst to Justin, she had moved her hands to his shoulders and his tension grew even more. "Your shoulders are all knotted up! You seem stressed out." Her hands were now rubbing his shoulders with smooth movements and as much as he hated to admit it, the massage felt good. He nearly felt like he could relax… nearly. Justin sprung out of his seat as soon as he remembered whose hands were touching him.

"Okay then Ms. Lucy, I think we're done for the day!" Lucy looked disappointed, but she still had a playful smile on her face.

"You sure? It's not good that you're tense like this. Why don't you stay a little longer, I'll take good care of you."

"No, some good night's rest is all I need. Goodbye!" Without a second thought, he closed the door to Lucy's office and hastily walked to the elevator. He almost broke this time. He was trying his hardest to not lower his guard and he nearly let her win. It was only his third meeting and she was already breaking him. He slumped against the glass case of the elevator and thought,

"**Thank Arceus it's the weekend.**"

The weekend was here and Justin was really looking forward to this one. He wanted a break from the academy, but more specifically Lucy. He woke up early and left a note on the bathroom window so that Carlos and Ethan would know he was leaving on the early ferry. There was much tot look forward to on this particular weekend. There was training with Cynthia, seeing the town, and what Justin was the most excited about, his date with Carmen. Though she never told him directly, Justin knew that she would be there for the date. The main doors opened and Justin could see a few students waiting for the morning ferry to arrive. He saw a few familiar faces from his classes, but no one he really wanted to talk to. There was an open spot next to the edge of the dock and Justin walked there to smell the brine of the ocean. He was standing next to a student that looked at him slightly stunned. The person gasped and Justin looked at his fellow student in confusion. Did he have something on his face? The student had short brown hair that was slightly untidy so some of the strands went up and some went down his forehead and two scars that looked like they were made by a claw were by his left eye. He had a slight tan, jade-green eyes, and was almost as tall as Carlos and Jaret. He wore a green shirt with a Pokeball print, blue jeans, and black sneakers. The student gained his composure and spoke in a slightly awed voice, as if he were speaking to a champion.

"Y-You're Justin… right?" Justin slowly nodded and the guy smiled at him. "I'm Austin Hawk Larson. It's cool to meet you!"

"Uh, thanks, but why is it so cool to meet me?" Austin gave him a look of disbelief.

"Why? Well you're kind of a recurring rumor topic around the whole academy." Now it was Justin's turn to look stunned.

"What kinds of rumors?" Austin smiled and now spoke in a hushed voice so that others wouldn't hear him.

"This may seem rude, but do you really sneak out into the girl's dormitories?" Justin's disbelief was being washed away with fear. Had someone seen him that night he climbed the tree?

"W-Where did you hear this?"

"No one knows who started the rumor, but it just started to get around. There was another one that said you had a plan to take revenge against Carlos Del Grove for beating you the other day." Justin tilted his head at this one. How'd the whole school know about his battle with Carlos?

"How do you know about my battle?" Austin scoffed and laughed.

"Students record battles and send them across the campus so fast it reaches every student in about ten minutes. But you wouldn't know that since you're a first-year. When you're a third year, you'll understand."

"You're a third year?"

"Yeah, I turned seventeen last month." Austin looked like he could have been in his year. He looked like and acted like a first-year. Justin thought that the third-years would be serious and focused, but it looks like they're quite the opposite. The ferry was approaching the dock and the students readied themselves to board. Austin and Justin boarded together and Austin told Justin the many different rumors that had circulated around him. Some of them were simple, but some were very outlandish. There was a rumor that he was a spy from a rival academy and that he was secretly feeding them information on the academy's students. Even though most of them weren't true, the one about him visiting the girl's dorms at night seemed too coincidental. However, it could just be a false rumor, but if someone had seen him that first night, he needed to know who it was. The boat ride was filled with chatter between Justin and Austin. He learned that Austin was a bit of an outcast, but he was a kind-hearted person. Turns out the scars by his eye were a result of sparring with his Pokemon. He said that the sparring kept him and his Pokemon in peak condition. He was from Pallet Town in Kanto, just like Jaret and was going to the main island to watch the battles in the Pokedome. The ferry stopped and the two of them parted ways. The ferry seemed like a place where Justin met new people all the time and it wasn't so bad meeting all these new people. It was about nine 'o' clock in the morning and Justin saw Cynthia dressed in her regular clothes. She saw Justin and leisurely walked towards him, passing a few tourists as she walked by.

"Why aren't you in disguise?"

"It's too early in the morning for anyone to clearly recognize me. Besides they're all focused on what they plan to do today. So, you're going to make up the time you missed last Saturday like you promised. Oh that reminds me! How did your date go?" Justin coughed.

"How did you know I had a date?"

"When you said obligations it was pretty clear what you were going to do."

"About the obligations…" Cynthia turned and smiled.

"You have another one? That's great news! You're getting more comfortable around girls."

"I didn't finish. I have another one tomorrow with a different girl." Cynthia had an awe-struck look on her face.

"You are such a player!"

"What?" Cynthia turned around and her black coat swished behind her.

"Well we have no time to waste! Let's get going!" Cynthia took off running and Justin followed. Within about twenty minutes they reached Cynthia's little camp. Justin stopped at the top and was surprised to feel he wasn't tired at all. The race last week must have built up his stamina, but Justin had a feeling that he was going to be exhausted by the end of the training session. Cynthia led him over to a clearing that had wooden practice dummies, makeshift targets, sandbags with a thick rope tied around them, and several large rocks all lined up in the same place.

"Call out all your Pokemon Justin." He did as asked and sent out his Scyther, Dewott, Eevee, and his Gligar. The four Pokemon stretched and looked around at the various contraptions around them with curiosity. "Today, you and your entire team will train together at each station." She walked him through each of the stations. The wooden practice dummies had lines painted on them where Dewott and Scyhter were supposed to cut them at. The sandbags with the rope were to be pulled by Eevee and Gligar was to fly with it. The targets were exclusively for Dewott to practice its ranged attacks and the boulders were for Justin to push. Justin had to push the four boulders from the line they stared at to a line about thirty yards away. Dewott and Scyther were competing with each other to see who had the most precise cut. Dewott was on the mark, but Scyther was just a little more precise. Guess it comes with having scythes for arms. Eevee was doing laps around the clearing with the sandbag and though the sandbag was small, it was starting to slow Eevee down with every lap. Gligar was holding on fairly well, but the weight of the sandbag was dragging it closer to the ground. Justin had barely managed to move the large rock five yards and his body already began to feel like gelatin. He glanced at his team and saw that each of them was slowing down. He gave one last push against the rock and moved it another three feet, but then his body gave out and he fell to the ground, panting with exertion. Cynthia walked over to him and was drinking a cold glass of water she had gotten from the stream near her campsite.

"Thirsty?" She held the bottle of water close to his face and reached for it slowly, as if he were about to grab a beautiful gemstone. Cynthia pulled the water away and dumped the rest of it on the ground. Justin watched the glistening liquid fall and become a murky puddle in the earth in front of him. "You can have some and a break after about another say… ten yards." A whole ten yards?! He had barely managed to push it eight yards! His body refused to get up and he became irritated that Cynthia would torture him in such a manner. She simply walked back into the shade and pulled out another bottle of water and repeated the procedure… then another, and another, and the last bottle she drank slowly to emphasize the point. He wouldn't let her do that to him. Champion or not, she couldn't walk all over him like that. He forced his body up and despite its protesting, he managed to support his weight. He placed his hands on the cool surface of the stone and turned his frustration into power. With a grunt, he pushed the rock. Nothing happened, but soon the boulder shifted. He stepped and it moved again. He was concentrating all his strength into his arms and legs. He couldn't feel the fatigue of his earlier efforts, all he felt was the rock moving with his pushes. His focus was razor sharp and he didn't even notice that ha had pushed the rock way past the line. Justin kept going and was nearing the cliff. As soon as he reached the edge, Justin poured all his reserves of strength into his final push. The boulder fell over the cliff and Justin could hear it hit the forest floor below with a satisfying thud. He turned around and saw the stunned looks of his teammates. Even Cynthia looked stunned. Justin smiled and managed to say,

"I'm thirsty…" He fell over and blacked out; the exhaustion of pushing the boulder well over thirty yards hit him like a freight train…

He awoke with blurred vision and his body felt like it had a marble slab on it. He couldn't move anything except his head from side-to-side. Justin looked around and realized he was inside of Cynthia's tent. Once again, he tried to get up, but his body refused to respond.

"Don't even try it." Cynthia approached him and knelt down. She held a cup that was full of a steaming liquid that Justin guessed was medicinal. "Here, drink." She propped his head up and he took a mouthful of the liquid. He about spit it out as soon as he drank it. The drink was bitter and nasty, plus it was scalding hot. He let out a sharp breath as he inhaled the cool mountain air to cool his blistering mouth. "I know it must be hot, and that it tastes like an old shoe, but it'll get you back on your feet in the next hour." The next hour? How long had he been out?"

"Cynthia…" His voice was dry and ragged. She turned and answered the question that was on his mind.

"You were asleep for three hours. It's about one 'o' clock right now. Justin silently thanked Arceus that he scheduled his date with Carmen at four. He knew that the training would be difficult, so he made sue there was extra time. The training was probably the most intense piece of physical exercise he had ever done. Cynthia came back to where he was and sat down. "You know… I never thought you would be able to push that rock another yard." She put a hand on his forehead to check his temperature and she reached inside her coat pocket and pulled out a small brown bag. "What you did was incredible. I'm still trying to wrap my mind around it." Out of the bag she pulled out an orange sphere. "This is Secret Potion. Open." He opened his mouth and she gently put the Secret Potion in his mouth. She grabbed her canteen and poured water into his mouth to ease the sphere down. "That should do it. You should be able to move your body in a few minutes." She hid the bag in her jacket and returned her gaze to him. "How did you do that? Was it just by pure willpower?" That sounded about right. His desire to stun Cynthia was what drove him, but it wasn't only that. He put all his worries, fears, and anger into his arms and legs so that he could drive the rock over the cliff. To him, the rock symbolized everything that got in his way. His stage fright, bullies, anything that held him back was now thrown over the cliff and out of his sight. It felt relieving to have those worries gone; it was like he could do anything. The drink and Secret Potion were beginning to take effect. Slowly, he felt his body move again. He sat up slowly so he didn't cause himself any further pain. "I see that the remedies are helping. Your team is outside resting." Slowly but surely, Justin managed to get onto his feet and walk. He opened the flap of the tent and saw his Pokemon all snoozing contentedly. They looked as tire as he was.

"What happened to them?" Cynthia smiled and the wind blew her long wavy blonde hair.

"When they saw you push that rock over the cliff, they pushed themselves to their limits. Follow me." Cynthia led him to the clearing where they had trained and Justin saw that the field was a mess. There were sliced up practice dummies that littered the ground, a large circular rut in the ground from Eevee's running with the sandbag, and Justin saw that the rut formed by Gligar's sandbag was small, which meant that Gligar had flew around with it for a long while.

"T-They did this?!" Justin was shocked that his team had done this much work. But it made him swell with pride. His team was dedicated to becoming the best they could and they all worked themselves to the bone to improve.

"Your Pokemon were really concerned about you. They wouldn't leave your side until they were convinced that you were okay. After they left, all they did was train, train, train." Once again, Justin looked at the clearing and was happy that he and his Pokemon had left an impression on Cynthia. The two of them walked back to the campsite and they relaxed for the next two hours. They talked about their pasts and the island and many other different things. His team had awoken and Justin saw his date was in a little more than half-an-hour.

"Cynthia I should head down, my date's coming up soon."

"Agreed, you and your Pokemon worked hard today. I'll go with you, but, I need to change into my disguise." She grabbed her tourist outfit and began to change in front of him like last week. Justin simply turned his head the other way to avoid seeing Cynthia's _assets. _With her generic tourist costume ready, the two of them hiked down the trail and to Justin's surprise, he couldn't feel any of the strain from his exercise.

"Wow that Secret Potion really does the trick! I can't feel any of the soreness of today!"

"It has many uses. One of them is a top-grade pain reliever, but the effects are temporary. Its strong stuff so I only use it when it's truly necessary. If I hadn't given you it, we would still be up on the hill. However, you'll still feel the soreness tomorrow and there isn't anything I can do about that." They reached the clock tower plaza and Justin looked at the time on the big old-fashioned clock. The clock read three fifty so he was a little early. He would have some extra time to prepare himself for meeting Carmen. He looked around and saw that many people were out today. They were visiting the various booths, but there was a rather large crowd assembled around the fountain in the plaza. Justin and Cynthia walked through and saw a man performing with his Pokemon. The man wore a black dress vest, a fancy orange polo, black slacks, fancy black shoes with gold buckles, and to top it off, a wide-brimmed fedora. The man had wavy black hair that was slicked back, and had a confident smile on his face. He was performing with a Dewgong and the crowd, especially the girls, were enjoying the show.

"Dewgong use Ice Shard!" The seal-like Pokemon launched a chunk of ice high into the sky. It glistened with the light of the sun and was now falling back to the ground. "Now use Aurora Beam!" Dewgong fired a rainbow colored beam from its mouth and when it struck the chunk of ice, it created multiple rays of colored light. The shard broke and it fell around the crowd as rainbow colored dust. The crowd applauded the show, even Justin did, but something felt wrong. He turned and saw that Cynthia was white as a sheet.

"Cynthia, you okay?" She kept looking at the performer and she said quietly underneath her breath,

"Ben…" Was that the performer's name?

"Do you know him?" Some of the color came back into Cynthia's face and she answered.

"Know him? I dated him." Justin's jaw dropped. She had dated this guy? "But it was a mistake." The crowd was beginning to disperse and Cynthia's eyes widened. "Quick! Hold my hand! Pretend you're my boyfriend!"

"What?!" This was apparently not up for debate as she seized his hand. The rest of the crowd cleared and he was left standing there awkwardly holding Cynthia's hand. The man named Ben managed to pull himself away from the horde of fan girls that were surrounding him and was now en route to where they were standing. He must have saw through Cynthia's disguise and was now walking over to her with his arms spread wide.

"Fancy seeing you here Cynthia! How've you been?" Cynthia's grip on his hand tightened and Justin winced. Ben had not taken any notice of Justin at all. Cynthia spoke through gritted teeth.

"Just fine Ben." Ben chuckled and kept his smile on his face.

"You look good; then again, you always look good." Ben's eyes portrayed a sort of primal hunger and Justin nearly threw up in his mouth.

"Oh Arceus…" Ben finally seemed to realize that Justin existed and he turned his eyes on him.

"Who's this Cynthia? Some little kid whose lost and can't find his mom?" Justin gritted his teeth so he wouldn't say any of the colorful names he had thought of.

"No, this is Justin, my, uh, boyfriend…" Hearing Cynthia say that was just strange and it made Justin feel uncomfortable beyond belief.

"Oh, really? He looks like a kid! Guess you learned a thing or two from me after all, eh?" Cynthia's grip was slowly crushing his hand and Justin could tell that she was fighting back the compulsion to ruin his good looks.

"No! I will never become like you! Justin just has a boyish face, but he's got more balls than you'll ever have!" Ben clutched at his chest like he had been punched.

"Ouch. You know that really hurts! But, I forgive you. I know you're still mixed up on your feelings and I'm sorry if I touched a nerve. It's just that you moved on so fast, and it's like we never happened." He walked back a few paces and lifted an eyebrow in a "what if" gesture. "But who knows? Maybe someday you'll realize what a great guy I am. I hope the space I've given you will let you think about it." With that, Ben turned his cloak and the horde of fan girls followed him. Cynthia let go of Justin's hand, but he could feel her anger from where he was standing. He had never seen her angry. Cynthia was a person who was always in a good mood, but the nicest people were the scariest when they were angry. Justin was all too curious about this Ben character. He was going to ask questions about it, but he thought about the pain that might follow and decided against it. Cynthia turned and looked at him; the kind feeling that she usually had was coming back into her eyes.

"Next week; we're going to the beach alright? It's the last few warm days that we'll have and I want to spend them right." Justin nodded and she walked off back to the preserve. Justin thought the danger was averted, but he was wrong. He felt as if something was burning in the back of his head. He turned his head around slowly and saw Carmen standing behind him, hands on her hips, her face in a scowl, and her eyes boring into his soul. Justin knew that he had to explain fast, but the only thing that came out his mouth was,

"H-Hi…" Carmen kept looking at him, her eyes narrowing into angry slits.

"Who was that?" Her voice felt like a hammer. He had never seen Carmen angry either, only annoyed. Justin was fairly sure that Cynthia wouldn't hurt him when she was angry, but Carmen was a different story.

"Who the guy?" Her eyes blazed with fury.

"Don't be smart with me!" Justin cringed and raised his hands up to gesture surrender.

"O-Okay! That was, um, uh…." To be perfectly honest, he hadn't thought of a cover story for this kind of situation. He would have to wing it as best he could and hope for the best. "Alright, I know you probably want to kill me right now and I understand that, I do!" Carmen crossed her arms and was listening closely. "I can guarantee you that what you saw isn't what you thought you saw." She cocked her head to the side in confusion and Justin realized that he was a little unclear. "Okay I should simplify that. What I meant to say is that I'm not messing around with anyone else." He debated whether or not he should tell her the truth about Cynthia and decided there was no other way out of it. His voice dropped to a whisper as he said this next part. "That girl was, believe it or not, Cynthia, the Sinnoh Region champion!" He waited for one of two things. First was for her to burst out laughing and call him an idiot, but the second option was more like Carmen. The second thing was that she slaps his brains out and then leaves without a word. He braced himself for the impact but it never came. Carmen's expression remained neutral for s few seconds then she started to speak.

"Do you expect me to believe you?"

"I haven't lied to you before have I?" She studied him, like she was trying to find any kind of sign that he was lying. "Please believe me Carmen; you know I wouldn't screw up the only chance you gave me." She remained quiet for a few seconds more and then she finally sighed.

"Alright…I believe you. But don't let me catch you doing it again!" Justin smiled.

"Oh, so that means we're doing this again?"

"You and your comments." He laughed; he was so relieved to hear that she had believed him. The two of them went around, but Justin found that none of his ideas seemed to make Carmen happy. They did all the kinds of girl stuff he could think of. They went shoe shopping; make-up shopping, clothes shopping, but none of the activities sparked any kind enjoyment out of her. At one point she seemed so bored that Justin was starting to feel it as well. He felt like he was doing something wrong. He remembered something off a show his sister watched. It was from one of those sitcom comedies with the automated audience. The guy was getting advice on how to act during his upcoming date and his friend told him to be himself. If he had a good time, she would have a good time. It didn't matter what they did as long as they were with each other. Justin took these words to heart and thought of the one place he really enjoyed.

"Hey Carmen." She stopped looking through the window of the store they were in and looked at him with disinterest. "You want to go to the arcade?" She shrugged her shoulders and they began to walk out of the store.

"Anything beats shopping for those kinds of clothes." The two of them arrived at the bustling arcade. The music and the sounds of the machines and laughter were coming out of the sealed doors. He reached for her hand slowly and she grasped it awkwardly, as if she were shy to hold it. The two of them walked into the darkly lit arcade and both of them were stunned by what they saw. The building was full the newest arcade games and it was bursting with people. They walked around the arcade looking for an empty machine to play. Justin noticed all the guys were watching them. Was it him? He shook the though away and realized that it was Carmen they were all gaping at. Wherever she walked, eyes followed. Her slim figure looked like it was gliding along the ground. Justin was so distracted by her elegant form that he ran into a group of guys. The biggest one of them turned and grimaced at him.

"Watch where you're going dumbass!" Justin said a quick apology, but the other three of the goons made a human wall. "Not so fast kid. You see, you just don't say sorry, you have to pay up, and then maybe I'll forgive you." The other three chuckled at their leader's threat. The four of them looked like Machamp, and they were built like them too. Justin felt trouble brewing and tried to settle the issue as peacefull as he could.

"Look, I didn't mean to bump into you, Mr…"

"The name's Fuller, kid." The last word had some spit in it and Justin wope it away with his sleeve.

"I didn't mean to bump into you Fuller, me and my friend here are just trying to have some fun here at the arcade. Now if you'll excuse us." Justin tried to squeeze through a gap in the meat wall, but he was pushed back by Fuller.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, kid. This is your friend?" Fuller glanced at his cronies and now they all had smirks on their faces. "Alright, we'll let you through kid. You can have your fun and we'll have fun with your lady friend here." The goons laughed and Justin was seeing that the chances of this resolving peacefully were becoming slim. "What's your name girlie?"

Carmen didn't answer and there was once again a cacophony of rumbling chuckles.

"Not gonna talk? Well that's alright, because when you're with us… you'll be screaming our names." Justin's fists were clenched like vices. His nails were digging into his skin so hard that they might draw blood. "Oh look guys, we made the squirt angry! Listen kid, why don't you just go away. It'll be less painful that way, alright?" He patted his shoulders with a pan sized hand. "Now why don't we go and have some fun girlie?" He reached for Carmen and Justin couldn't take it anymore. He grabbed Fuller's thick wrist so fast that the bulky guy realized he was stopped about a second later. "Tsk, tsk, tsk kid. Now you're gonna see how bad we are." His goons cracked their knuckles and Justin looked directly into Fuller's beady eyes.

"However bad you think you are… I'm worse." Fuller laughed and in a split second, he threw his other hand at Justin. The pan sized piece of flesh was hurtling towards him, but it didn't matter, Fuller was to slow to hit him anyways. Justin caught the punch with finesse and now Fuller and his cronies wore faces of astonishment. The other lumbering giants sprang forward, but all Justin had to do was twist Fuller's arm and push. He sent Fuller hurtling towards his group and the scene resembled a small car crash. All four of the giants were now getting back up from their collision and they rushed Justin.

"Carmen, get somewhere safe." She quietly nodded and went to the far side of the room to join the crowd of people who were now gathered to watch the event unfold. Justin fell to his stomach and tripped the four of them all at once. They tumbled one at a time and Justin heard the heads of one of them hit a game console. The console made a little game over sound and the remaining three attackers rose up. This time they came at him one by one. The shortest of the bunch rushed forward with his hands upraised like an angry Ursaring, ready to club him with cinderblock heavy hands. The strike was slow and off balance and all had Justin had to do was take a step back and let gravity do the rest. Oaf #2 stumbled to his knees and Justin forced him down with his foot. Oaf #3 was the widest of the group and he ran at Justin like an angry Rhyhorn. Before the hulking beast could squash him, Justin jumped off the back of the downed giant and onto an air hockey table nearby. He propelled himself off the table and did a mid-air roundhouse kick. The kick hit the charging mass of flesh in the jaw. Justin landed on a knee and a fist while Oaf #3 sank to ground unconscious. Justin and Fuller locked eyes. They were like two angry Sawsbuck pawing at the ground, waiting for the other to make their move. Well, Fuller was more like a Darmanitan… a really bulky, uncoordinated Darmanitan with a brain the size of an Oran berry seed. Fuller bellowed a fierce shout and charged forward. His hands were outstretched, ready to squeeze the life out of Justin. He waited for him to be within grabbing distance. Time slowed down like in Aspertia City and each of Fuller's thunderous steps could be heard. The beast's hands were outstretched and that's when Justin made his move. With one fluid motion, Justin did a side flip and used Fuller's back as a ramp. He landed safely and he saw Fuller look at him, his small beady eyes wide with shock. Justin pointed ahead and Fuller turned his head just in time to slam into the air hockey table. The machine toppled over and hanging over the edge was the massive bulk of the fallen giant.

"My name isn't kid. It's Justin."

Justin huffed and he could hear applause coming from behind him. The whole arcade was there and they were cheering with joy. He scanned the crowd and saw Carmen was clapping too. She had one of her rare smiles and Justin couldn't help, but smile too. Justin looked in between a gap in the crowd and saw that the Pokemon Island Security had just walked in. If they saw this, they would make him pay for the damages and he didn't have the money to replace a super-expensive air hockey table. He stealthily merged with the crowd and grabbed Carmen's hand. The security was looking around, but by the time they looked through the crowd, they were gone and by the docks. They ran over to the nearest bench, laughing the entire way back. Carmen calmed down and spoke first,

"Well that was awesome!"

"I guess it was!"

"The way you kicked that guy and how that Fuller dude just crashed into the table!" She looked so alive and full of energy. He looked at her and she stopped laughing and looked at him back.

"What is it?"

"Nothing, it's just that you look great when you laugh." They kept looking at each other and they got closer. Her eyes glittered when the sun touched them.

"I look great? That's not what most boys would say."

"Well I guess it was just different…" She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and pulled his face in close.

"I like different." The words rolled off her tongue smooth as silk and it nearly made him melt. Their faces were getting closer; her eyes kept looking into his. It was the perfect moment…

"Carmen?" They both looked at the source of the new voice. It came from a tall boy with spiky black hair that had three streaks of red on the right side. He wore a long sleeved black overcoat with silver buttons, a thin stormy gray dress shirt, a silver Duskull necklace, skinny jeans that were gray at the top and progressively turned into black at the bottom, black leather shoes, and black shades. Justin whispered to Carmen,

"Who's that?" Carmen gulped and said in a small voice tat seemed like it contained a hint of fear,

"My ex…"

**Chapter 12! How was it? Was it everything you ever hoped and dreamed? Tell me your thoughts in a review! I have had a spark of inspiration and I just had to share the idea on the forum! It's for a new story that could possibly be starting soon. It's based on the concept of Gijinka's (Humans with Pokemon abilities) but that's all I'm going to tell you so look at the forum! If you're interested in becoming a moderator for said forum (Pokemon Academy Counseling just in case you may not remember) then send me a PM so I can give you details! There are only two more slots open so act now! Anyways, that's all for author's notes. Thanks for reading, supporting, and reviewing. I'll see you Friday!**

**-N-Black ,Out**


	13. Chapter 13

**N-Black is back with the thirteenth chapter of Pokemon Academy! So, Justin went completely badass on some lowlife thugs and was about to have a very special moment with Carmen, but a man appears and Carmen tells him that it's her ex! What will happen now? **

**Chapter 13: The Power of Juice!**

Did he hear her right? Carmen just said that the person in front of them was her ex. The guy had a cold presence that reminded Justin all too well of that one night. The two of them locked eyes. Carmen's ex-boyfriend apparently had no soul because all Justin could see when he looked at his eyes was an empty space where his soul should have been. He immediately disliked him and it wasn't because of him being Carmen's ex. The ex now cast his gaze upon Carmen; the soulless hazel eyes bored into. Justin noticed that Carmen cringed when he looked at her; it was if his stare burned her.

"Carmen…" Justin said, trying to comfort her. She appeared to not hear him. The ex shifted and raised a finger and pointed it at Justin accusingly.

"Who is he?" His voice was quiet, but the words were heavy. Carmen still looked at him with disbelief in her eyes.

"Hunter… what are you doing here?" He took a few steps forward. His leather shoes made a dull thud sound with each step.

"You didn't answer my question." He gently grabbed her chin with his thumb and index finger. Justin was compelled to swat his hand away, but something told him that besting this Hunter character would take much more effort than the thugs at the arcade. He tilted Carmen's head forward so that she would look into his eyes. "Who. Is. He?" He turned Carmen's head towards Justin and he could see the helplessness in her eyes.

"That's my date…" At those words, Hunter turned her head back to face him.

"Date?" His voice shook with rage, "DATE?!" He pushed her with his free hand and Justin caught her. Now he didn't want to hold back. He had just pushed her and Justin didn't care if he was intimidating. His blood boiled with rage. It wasn't the same rage Justin felt against Silver on the first day; this time he really and truly wanted to hurt someone. His eyes blurred with fury, but Justin could hear the outrage of Hunter. "So you forgot me already? I came back for you, to show that I changed, but NO! You had to go off and get yourself another man." Hunter pointed at Justin once again, but his hazel eyes weren't calm anymore. They were filled with a grudging hatred. "You! Don't blame me for what's about to happen to you! Blame her for not being able to stay faithful!" Hunter was about to charge him, but the island security patrol came around the corner. Hunter stopped in his tracks, his fist was half raised. Justin continued to hold the traumatized Carmen to protect her from the animal who had nearly struck him. Hunter lowered his fist and calmed down. He turned around and left the two of them alone. Justin continued to stare at Hunter as he walked away. He was like a predator that was about to attack its prey, but was stopped by a group of annoying humans. Hunter would be back, Justin could feel it in his bones. He looked down to check on Carmen. She appeared to be fine, but Justin had no idea what she was feeling like.

"Carmen are you okay?" She turned her head and curled up in his hold. She hid her face, but Justin felt the wetness of her tears through his shirt. Whatever Hunter did to her to make her be like this, he would pay…

He spent the next half-an-hour coddling Carmen. It was so strange to see her so vulnerable. She was usually the perfect image of fortitude, but now it was as if all her defenses had crumbled. They were sitting underneath an old wing of the clock tower plaza that was under renovation. It was quiet and was hidden from prying eyes so it was an ideal place for Carmen to have some space. She stopped crying shortly after she began, but now she had an empty face. Whenever Justin would try to ask her something she wouldn't respond. He gave up and decided that the only thing he could do for her now was to simply be there for her. They sat for what seemed to be forever before Carmen spoke.

"I-I'm sorry about that…"

"Don't be. It's not your fault, it's his."

"No, you could've gotten hurt. I'm sorry you have to see me like this it's just that I thought I would never see him again."

"Carmen what happened between you and him?" She shook her head at the question.

"I can't talk about it. Not right now." She stood up and breathed heavily. "I'm going back to the academy."

"I'll go too."

"No, I want to go by myself… think things over." He didn't want to leave her side at a time like this when she needed someone most. However he gave in to her wishes and let her walk away to the docks in solitude. After he was sure that she was gone, he kicked a tall steel ladder to the ground in anger. It was a great day and now it was ruined. Hunter was probably out to get him, Carmen wouldn't talk to him about her problem, and his foot started to throb with pain. Justin walked out of the renovation area and to the fountain in the middle of the plaza. Justin looked at a nearby bench and saw many girls surrounding it. The group shifted and saw that Carlos was sitting on the bench with Chuberto on his shoulder. All the girls were busy trying to pet Chuberto and they were asking Carlos all these different kinds of questions. Carlos must have seen him because he got up and walked towards Justin. The group of girls followed and Carlos gave Chuberto a nod. The mouse climbed off his shoulders and went into the group to distract them.

"Carlos! What are you doing here?"

"Oh you know just chillin' and seeing the local beauties." He shot a wink at the girls mobbing over his Pikachu.

"So it's just the usual?" Both of them laughed, but then Carlos's face turned concerned.

"Where's Carmen at?" The question stung like a Beedrill. "What happened?" Justin turned his head in amazement at his friend's perceptiveness. Carlos was silly and a flirt, but he seemed to see right through Justin when it came to girls.

"How'd you know?" Carlos crossed his arms and leaned on a lamppost.

"It's in your eyes. You look you've had trouble. Tell me about it." Justin told Carlos about his date and how it was going. He talked about the fight and most importantly, Hunter. Carlos looked to the ground and ran his hands through his messy hair.

"This Hunter guy… just by the way you described him, I feel like there's something wrong with him. I thought that way about Silver when I first met him, but this is completely different." Carlos was getting called back to the mob of girls. It seemed like the Pikachu distraction was starting to fail. "We'll talk later about it alright? Duty calls." Carlos strutted his way over to the girls and disappeared in the middle of them. Justin smiled. It was good to see Carlos enjoying himself. He walked out of the courtyard and looked at the time once again. The clock read six thirty. He had thirty more minutes until he had to leave so he decided to wander around. He strolled through the stores and eateries to take his mind off Carmen. Everywhere he looked there seemed to be couples. They were all laughing and having a good time.

"**That was me and her earlier…**" He felt depressed, like he was alone. It was how he was made. He always had his family, but growing up was hard. He had no friends as a kid and he only managed to befriend Nate because of an accident. Nate and his friends were playing a game of soccer and the ball went astray and… well you can guess the rest. Loneliness is what made him who he was. Until he met Nate and his Pokemon, he thought he would always be alone. They say that the teenage years of your life are some of the hardest and whoever said that deserved an award for the truest statement ever said in the history of the world. The light suddenly got brighter and Justin looked up and saw that there was sparkling ice falling down in front of his face. Sure enough, Ben and his Dewgong were there showing off to another crowd. Justin remembered the awkward moment of having to be Cynthia's "boyfriend." He still wondered what Ben meant about Cynthia taking after his own tastes. The crowd dispersed and now Ben was walking over to Justin with a smile on his face.

"Well if isn't Cynthia's boyfriend… Justin was it?"

"Uh, yeah?" Ben raised an eyebrow, but still kept the friendly smile on his face.

"You don't sound too sure. Well anyways how long have you two been together?" The question was unexpected and Justin thought of a random number.

"Two!" Ben's eyebrow went up farther, if that was humanly possible.

"Two days? Two months? Two weeks?"

"Uh, two weeks." Ben nodded and looked Justin over.

"You're lucky Justin, y'know that?"

"I guess…" Ben looked up into the sky as if he were dreaming.

"Cynthia's an amazing woman and I admit that I messed up with her. But one day she'll realize that I'm worth giving a second chance." He looked at Justin again, this time a little harder. "I guess you thought you can take my place, but your time is temporary my friend. I will wait for her to realize that breaking up with me is a mistake and in the meantime…" He looked at a group of academy girls who were in the audience with hunger, "I'll partake of the young bodies of the island." He walked off with a goodbye and Justin felt like he was going to upchuck. He wanted to warn those girls about what was in store for them, but he didn't have anytime to; the ferry was leaving in five minutes…

Justin sat on the back of the ship. He didn't want to be bothered by anyone right now. His perfect day had been ruined and now he just wanted to rest up for tomorrow's amusement park visit with Skyla. He thought about what awaited him at the academy. Tomorrow was his last day of the weekend and then he would have to endure going to Lucy's office again. He dreaded the thought, what if she forced that berry juice down his throat? That's when Justin remembered his small sample he had took from her office. Who would know what was in it? Justin pondered it and came up with an answer. The school's berry orchards were usually open at all times of the day so he should be able to find a professor to tell him what's in it. The ferry docked and Justin went to the orchards immediately. He walked around the main atrium and came upon the greenhouse. The various colorful plants had a pleasant scent and soothed some of the tension from his muscles. He felt his muscles staring to grow stiff and guessed that the effects of the Secret Potion were beginning to wear off. Put the pain of his exercise with his brawl against Fuller and his gang and you had a recipe for pain in the morning. Maybe the botanists would have something to help keep that away. He scanned the rows of plants and searched down them, but he could find no one to talk to. Maybe they were outside watering the other plants? It didn't hurt to try and sure enough he found someone outside tending to the berry plants, but it wasn't a professor. Justin approached and the person turned. The darkness of the night made it hard to make out if it was a girl or boy. He stopped in the light and the shadowy figure walked towards him.

"Can I help you?" It was a girl with short orange hair and a small green poncho. She had worn baggy shorts and a kind smile on her face.

"Yes actually." Justin pulled the sample of berry juice from his bag and handed it to the girl. "I'm trying to figure out what kinds of berries are inside of this juice." The girl took the bottle and swirled the dark purple liquid around. She uncapped the bottle and wafted the smell. She smiled as if the smell pleased her.

"This smells like Pecha berries, but it's a tad bitter as well. There's a chance that there's Rawst berries in there, but there's only one way to find out." She took a swig of the berry juice and Justin stood there shocked.

"Wait you didn't know what was in there and you drank it anyways?"

"Oh relax! It's perfectly harmless! It's probably some kind of energy booster or something. I'll wait and see what kinds of effects it has and I'll give you a message in about a half-an-hour." Justin still thought that turning yourself into an experiment was not the best way to see what's inside a drink.

"Alright, I'll leave it to you, uh…" The girl extended her hand.

"Gardenia, and you?"

"Justin." After exchanging contact information so that Gardenia could send him a message, Justin left the greenhouse and went to his dorm to relax for a while. He passed by the staff lounge once again and heard muffled voices talking inside. The door wasn't open this time, but Justin managed to hear the voices if he put his ear to it.

"Some reserve rangers say that they saw someone who fits the description."

"When'd they see him?"

"Today, but they weren't fast enough to catch him."

"I hope that he's safe. If anyone finds out that he went missing…" So they hadn't found Silver yet… They said that he was in the reserve today, but Justin didn't hear anything out of him. Was he in trouble or was he trying to run away from the academy? All these things were just making him more confused. There was a faint ringing sound coming from his pocket and it was driving nuts. He realized that it was his Xtransceiver and he promptly pulled it out. It was a message from Gardenia saying to come back to the greenhouse. She already figured it out? It was a quick mystery and now Justin shivered with anticipation. What were the effects of that enigmatic juice? He entered the greenhouse with slight trepidation. Something felt weird and the smell of the flowers was drowned out by a new smell. The new scent was just as sweet, if not sweeter than the flowers.

"Oh, Justin~!" Gardenia called with a sing-song voice. She sounded happy and she appeared to be in the middle of the greenhouse. As he walked closer, the indescribable scent got stronger and made Justin feel fuzzy. He reached the middle where he heard Gardenia's voice, but there was no sign of her.

"Gardenia? Where are you?" There was no answer. What was going on? He felt hands wrap around his waist and heard the giggling of Gardenia from behind him. She put lips next his ear and whispered.

"I'm right here…" He gently attempted to get out of her hold, but she was wrapped around him tightly and made no signs of letting go.

"G-Gardenia, what are you doing?" She giggled again.

"You'll be happy to figure out that I learned what the juice does." He wanted to keep her talking so that he could slowly get out of her vice-like grasp.

"So, what does it do?" Another giggle.

"Turn around and find out." Her hold loosened and Justin broke out. He turned around and saw that Gardenia's face was scarlet with blush and that her eyes had a sort of longing look in them. Her lips were curled in a happy smile. "Hey, that's not fair!"

"Okay I turned around! Now tell me what the juice does." She smiled even wider and gestured with her index figure to come over to where she was standing. Cautiously, Justin made his way over to Gardenia. What happened to her? He stood a little out of grabbing distance and waited for an answer. She just kept smiling and didn't say a word. "Uh, Gardenia, what does the juice do?" Still no reply from her. Instead of answering, she lunged forward to grab him again, but Justin was ready for it. He grabbed her arms and now he held her. She laughed and looked at him.

"I like it rough!" The statement sent heat into his cheeks. He was starting to get an idea of what the juice did. Gardenia reached for his face, but he gently brought her hand down. "Why do you want to stop me? Don't you want to have fun?" Justin knew what the sweet smell in the room was now. That juice must have been some kind of stimulant for the sex drive. He released her from his hold and kept her back with an arm.

"Listen Gardenia, you're not thinking straight, maybe you should get some rest." He held her shoulder and she let out a small moan. "**That's weird.**" He clenched her shoulder again, a little harder this time and in response there was a louder moan. Did the juice boost something else as well? He continued the process without thinking about it. He tried a different spot this time. He moved his hand to the back of her neck without any kind of protest from Gardenia. He just rubbed his fingers over and he got the same response. Justin got a little bolder and went to her lower back. The result was even louder and was more lust-filled than the rest and it left Gardenia gasping and Justin heard her muttering something,

"Y-You're…such a….tease." She appeared to be calming down. His discovery was shocking to say the least. The juice boosted the sensitivity of one's own body. Gardenia shook her head. "What happened?"

"N-Nothing happened! You just told me about the berry juice and you said you were going off to bed." She scratched her head in confusion.

"I did? That's funny; I don't remember that at all."

"Don't worry; you said you were tired so I think you should get some sleep. Thanks for helping me."

"Uh, okay then…" She left the greenhouse confused and now Justin was worried. A juice that would heighten body sensitivity then cause short-term memory loss. Lucy had been trying to get him to drink that every time he met with her. She always poured herself a glass, but if he didn't have any, she wouldn't drink it. It all made sense now! Justin face palmed himself for having been so dense. Lucy obviously had some very nefarious plans in store for him. He wanted to go straight to Professor Oak and tell him about it, but that was out of the question. Why would he believe that a counselor was trying to get him to drink a sexual stimulant? Even if Professor Oak did believe him, Lucy would just simply dump the evidence out and Justin would look like he was trying to frame her. There were only three people he could trust with this information and he was already on his way to tell them about it…

"Justin called Jaret over to his room and he explained the situation to everyone. He told them his theory about Lucy's intentions and the greenhouse incident. They all seemed stunned to hear about it, but they didn't seem to think he was crazy. Ethan was the first to speak.

"So you really think that Lucy is trying to do that to you?"

"Yeah, but I don't know why." Jaret sighed and spoke,

"Lucy… she's trouble man."

"Did she do something like this before?" Ethan asked.

"No, but it sounds like her. Last year she acted that way too. She always flirted with the students, but it was always to just tease them. A few of the third years know more about it, but they never talk about it." Justin tapped the table with his fingers.

"Third years?" Austin was the first person he thought of. He seemed to know a lot about what happened on the island and they got along on the ferry so maybe he would tell him about Lucy.

"Well, talking about this all night isn't going to get us anywhere!" Carlos said, "We should all get some shut eye. Besides I have a date tomorrow as well." Justin turned and smiled.

"Was it one of the girls from the fountain?" Carlos nodded.

"Yeah. Her name's Candice, she goes here." Jaret patted him on the back.

"That's great man!"

"Uh-huh, plus I got Ethan a date too!" Justin was really surprised now.

"Ethan too?"

"Yeah! I told all those girls that my friend needs a date so I got him one!"

"You excited Ethan?" Justin asked. Ethan shrugged his shoulders.

"I guess so." Justin clapped his hands together.

"That means that all of us have dates tomorrow!"

"Well not _all _of us." Jaret raised his hand a little embarrassedly.

"Oh, I'm sorry…"

"Nah man! Don't stress about it! You see I've got my eyes on someone already. Well Carlos is right, I better go to sleep. Busy day tomorrow. Bye guys." Jaret left the room and the three of them got ready for bed. Justin lied down and closed his eyes. For the first time in a while, he dreamt of something pleasant. It was a dream about tomorrow at the amusement park. He and Skyla were having a good time riding around on the rides. He met with all his friends and it seemed like nothing could hurt him anymore. He couldn't be more wrong…

**Chapter thirteen is done guys and I hope you enjoyed it. I'll keep it short and sweet this time. Review, send in OC's, check out the forum and have a great weekend! I'll see you on Wednesday!**

**-N-Black, Out**


	14. Chapter 14

**N-Black is back with an early update of Pokémon Academy! Important announcement! I have made a new story! That's right, there's a new story for all you wonderful readers to check out. I have dubbed it Legacy, so if you're interested, check it out and tell me what you think of it! Well here's the chapter.**

** Chapter 14: Of Ferris Wheels and Roller-coasters**

Justin had managed to get some good sleep last night despite all the things going on. He stood outside of the docks with Carlos and Ethan. All three of them were anxiously awaiting the arrival of the ferry since they all have dates. Carlos was going with Candice, Justin with Skyla, and Ethan was going with Lyra. The news of Ethan's date was a little surprising since the two never met and Justin couldn't help and wonder what would happen between the two.

Justin was still having trouble coming to terms with the fact that this was a date. He couldn't sort out his feelings about how he felt towards Skyla and it was driving him up the wall. The time he spends with her is fun, but if it came to the point where he would have to choose between Carmen and her…

That was his point right there. He didn't know what to do. All the stress he was putting himself through wasn't going to help. Today was going to be fun and carefree. The ferry arrived presently and the three boys boarded. The ferry ride was relaxing enough to calm his nerves, but Justin couldn't say the same for Ethan. His friend looked like he was going to hurl all over the poop deck.

"You okay Ethan?" Ethan shook his head, but that just made his face turn greener. "You seasick?" Carlos came over and patted Ethan on the back. Each time his hand landed on his back, Ethan would clench the bars, trying to avoid a mess.

"No, he's not seasick. He just has the predate Butterfrees, that's all." Justin took another look at Ethan and thought it was more like predate Beedrills (No offense to Ethan's Beedrill of course.) The ferry docked and the group departed and went their separate ways. Justin wanted to be early to make up for his tardiness last week. He stood outside of the park gate and was already highly impressed by what he had seen from the outside. There were a lot of classic amusement park rides, but there were many original ones as well. The featured rides sign displayed one such original ride.

"_**The Marine Tube Adventure!" **_

_** "**__Join us on a tour of the ocean floor on a ride that was inspired by the Unova Marine Tube! Travelling at a blistering 95 miles per hour, the Marine Tube Adventure will take you on a thrill ride under the sea!" _

Justin was going to go on that ride. He loved the ocean and despite the fact he was going to be zooming along the ocean floor at high speeds, he didn't care. He was so caught up looking at the pictures of the ride that he didn't notice Skyla coming from behind him.

"That looks like fun!" Her voice startled him and he snapped around to see her. As usual, she had a bright look in her blue eyes and a smile on her face. He forgot how great she looked. He stood there gaping at her and in response her cheeks flushed. "Why're you looking at me all weird?" H e shook himself out his trance and returned to the real world. "C'mon let's go!" Skyla grabbed his hand and pulled him into the park.

Now that he was inside, Justin realized the full scope of the park. There were colorful rides as far as the eye could see. Performers were putting on various shows with their Pokémon. Who knows? Maybe Ben was here? With all the places they could go, Justin had trouble deciding where to go. He turned to Skyla and she was busy studying the park map. The amusement park in Nimbasa City was simple, but this map was almost as large as a chalkboard. The amount of money it must've taken to build this must have been insane! Steven must have some very deep pockets. Skyla's face lit up and Justin guessed that she knew where she wanted to go.

"Let's start with this one right here!" She pointed in the very middle of the map at a rather large roller-coaster. Justin read the name aloud,

"Wailord Falls?"

"Yeah! They said on the map that it's the tallest log flume in the world! It also says that it can be seen from anywhere in the park." Justin looked around to confirm it and he saw a large blue structure in the distance. The tallest log flume in the world? He hated that feeling of weightlessness when you drop from a roller-coaster and having to be dropped from about sixty feet and into water is not something he would do normally, but he was with Skyla and he guessed it was time suck it up.

Skyla wasted no time in charging through the crowded amusement park and to the ride. The two made it and Justin saw that the ride itself wasn't just the large. The amount of people in the line was horrendous and waiting there would probably make him bang his head against a wall.

"Skyla, maybe we should go to a different ride. This line is massive and…" His voice trailed off when he saw looking at him Lillipup eyes. "We really should go to, uh, a different ride…" Those blue eyes just kept sucking him in and he found it hard to say no to them. "C'mon! I know you want to go, but we should wait until the line dies down."

"Please?" Now she had her arms around him and that's where he caved.

"Alright! Fine. You win! Let's go on the log flume…" Instead of letting go she still held on to him. When she didn't take her arms away, Justin sighed and walked to the line with Skyla around him. An hour passed by and they were still half way through the wait. The two of them talked to pass the time, but they soon ran out of things to talk about and were now just finding anything to do with the time. They were finally within a suitable distance to observe the ride up close. Justin could see the tiny black speck that was the log fall down the gushing waterfall. He could hear the screams of the people as if they were right next to him. The line continued to push forward and the TV's in the line lit up. There were statistics about the ride. Wailord Falls measured at about 170 feet in height and the speed at which you fell was at about 80 miles per hour. The splash made when you hit the water was equal to the height a Wailord spouts its water. The various first-person cameras didn't help him out with feeling comfortable. Another half hour passed and they were nearing the entry gates. The interior of the ride was playing festive music that did not sync up with Justin's current feelings. The park attendant let them through the gate and they were being seated on the log and it was just their luck that they got the front row seats. Skyla told the attendant that it was their first time on the ride and the attendant insisted that they take the front row seats, saying that it would be a good experience. Justin would bet money that the attendant has never been on this ride before.

The usual safety announcements played and during that time Justin was silently motivating himself that he could do this.

"Oh my Arceus Justin! This is going to be so fun!" Skyla was excited. She had told him that she loved flying and that roller-coasters were the only way she could experience that same sensation till she was old enough to get pilot's license. It was good to see her so excited and Justin only wished that he shared her enthusiasm. The log began to creep upwards and now Justin was staring to have doubts. The light of the outside world seemed so far away in the dark tunnel. Nate had told him that the worst part of a roller-coaster was the climb upwards and he couldn't be any more right. What made it so bad was that if you had second thoughts, you couldn't get off the ride so you just had to deal with what came next. The log made it to the top and they remained still. Maybe there was some kind of technical difficulty? There was aggravated chatter behind them talking about how cheap the ride was. Justin sighed with relief and sat back. He was saved! There's a saying he remembered out of the back of his mind when he sat back. It was something like, "The worst things happen when you feel the safest." Why did he think about that? He heard a loud thunk from underneath the log and now it began to slide forward. The movements made Justin's heart skip a beat. He saw the entire park and all the people looked like as small as Joltiks. He slowly realized that they were approaching the edge and thought,

"**Shit." **First you say it, and then you do it. The log plummeted to the ground like a bolt of lightning. Justin heard nothing over his scream. The wind blew his hair back and the weightless feeling took over. It felt like the rest of him was at the top of the ride and he was coming back empty. The water came ever closer and Justin turned to look at Skyla. Surely she was as terrified as he was. When he looked at her, she had her arms up and a big smile on her face. She was screaming, but it was the kind of scream you make when you have fun. He screamed at the top of his lungs to make sure Skyla heard what he said.

"HOW COULD YOU POSSIBLY BE ENJOYING THIS?!" The log crashed into the water and the huge plume of water soaked everyone, even some of the people in the line. Justin's knuckles were white from holding the safety bar so tightly, but he couldn't remove them. Even though he was dark-skinned, he was pretty sure he looked as pale as a sheet. The log calmly went over to the exit gate and the riders exited, smiles on all their faces. The only person left in the ride was Justin. He could hear the park attendant's voice telling him to get out of the ride. As much as he wanted to leave the ride, his body wouldn't move. Slowly, he stepped out of the log and stumbled. His legs felt like they were made of gelatin. Skyla crouched over by him and looked at him with concern in her eyes.

"Are you okay Justin?" He slowly shook his head and muttered,

"Never again…never again." Skyla laughed and she helped him walk over to a bench so he could sit down. He was relieved to be on solid ground again. It was peaceful, but the only thing that bothered him was that his clothes were soaked. Skyla was the same, but as he looked her over; her clothes seemed even tighter than before. As perverted as it was, Justin couldn't take his eyes away from her.

"You're looking at me funny again."

"Oh, uh, I was?" She giggled and frowned at her soggy clothes.

"I can't walk around like this!"

"Oh yes you can…" Justin mumbled.

"Hm? Did you say something?"

"Nope."

"Well I need to go to the changing rooms. I brought myself some extra clothes just in case this happened. What about you Justin? Do you have anything extra?"

"No I'll just let the sun dry my clothes out."

"Well help me find the nearest bathroom or something." Justin looked around at the various signs and it looked like the closet place was the changing rooms by the water park. After pointing it out, they went to the changing rooms and Justin sat on a nearby bench waiting for her to finish changing. A few minutes went by and he could hear Skyla call his name. He came to the bamboo barrier to talk to her.

"What is it Skyla?"

"Could you come in here for a minute, I need your help."

"W-What? Are you crazy! I can't go in the women's side!"

"Please! Just sneak in when no one's looking." He remained silent and was playing mental tug-o-war.

"Fine…" He waited until all eyes were away from the changing rooms until he sneaked in. He saw Skyla's jacket and went to open the door. He slid in quickly and turned to her.

"Alright so what do you need help with…?" He stifled a gasp when he saw that she was in her bra.

"Oh good you're here. The zipper to my bag got caught and I couldn't unjam it. Could you do it for me?"

"W-Why didn't you just bring it out to the benches?"

"It seemed easier for you to come here than for me to get fully dressed again. See how stuck it is?" She was trying to pull the zipper and each time she tried her, ahem, _assets_, would bounce. If this went on he wouldn't be able to control himself.

"H-Here! Give me the bag!" He snatched the bag away and quickly unjammed the zipper. "There you go! Good as new!"

"Thank you!" She pulled out a plain white t-shirt and another pair of shorts. She threw on the clothes and she walked out of the stall. Skyla shot him a thumbs up to tell him that is was clear to move. The two of them walked out from the swim park and decided to go to the non-wet rides. They did a circle through the park, riding anything that looked like fun. They eventually made it to the Marine Tube ride and Justin was thrilled to see the bottom of the ocean floor, even though it was a blur with how fast the ride was going. After getting their fill of rides, they decided to watch the shows and play the games. The shows had Pokémon battles and the games were fun. Skyla was apparently a ring toss pro because she won the biggest Buneary doll they had in one try. The sun was setting and the two of them were laughing while eating two large ice cream sundaes. Despite the shock he was in after the first ride, the rest of the rides felt like child's play afterwards. Justin looked up from his half eaten sundae and saw that Skyla had barely put a dent into hers. She was just poking it with her spoon and she looked a little down.

"What's wrong Skyla? Don't like your ice cream?" She shook her head and looked at him.

"I'm just thinking."

"About what?"

"Oh you know about school, what homework I have, what my friends are doing." She paused and looked at him softly, "When you were going to decide to kiss me?" The question didn't register until after a few seconds and even after he knew what she was asking, he didn't have an answer.

"I, uh, don't know that quite yet either…" Justin laid his spoon down and now there was an air of awkwardness and pressure around him. Should he do it? But, what if Carmen found out? Her eyes were filled with hopefulness, but his lack of action seemed to blow out that hope. She stood up and sighed.

"Okay then." She started to walk off towards the park area. Justin slapped his hand on the table. Now he had done it. He thought about the day's events and wasn't about to let this one end on a sour note. He got up and raced after her. He managed to catch up with her in the park. The hedges around them were trimmed to look like Pokémon and the small pond reflected the moonlight.

"Wait Skyla!" She turned around and looked at him. He stopped in front of her and collected his thoughts.

"I-I'm sorry if that's what you expected me to do. I blame my lack of experience with these kinds of things. It's just that I didn't want to do something you didn't want me to do." Her face betrayed a sense of surprise.

"That's really why you didn't think about kissing me?" Justin braced himself for her rant on how childish he was, but her fury never came. "I…I thought it was because you didn't like me. I thought that maybe you thought that I was moving too fast for you and I have been." She took a breath and continued. "I can't help myself when I'm around you. I don't know what it is! To tell you the truth... I thought you were maybe trying to distance yourself away from me because you were involved with someone else."

"You thought that?"

"Yeah, I see you when you talk to that Carmen girl it looks like your walking on air." He thought that every time he talked to Carmen he was alone.

"Oh, me and her? We're not together or anything…"

"But I know that you want to be with her." She retorted. "Tell me if you have something between you two. I don't want to get hurt." He thought long and hard about it and realized that there really wasn't anything going on between them. Justin took a deep breath and exhaled.

"Carmen and I don't have anything going on." The words fell from his mouth like iron. It hurt to admit it, but it was the truth. She probably wasn't even going to speak to him until she came to terms with Hunter being on the island. Skyla's eyes lit up with happiness.

"Thank you for telling me the truth." She embraced him again, but Justin didn't push her away or stiffen up. This time he returned it. He was happy that she was happy and that's all that mattered to him at the moment. He looked to the sky and saw that the stars were brighter than ever. Skyla turned her head towards the star and they sparkled in her eyes. "Wow. It's beautiful." The two of them locked eyes and their lips approached. Everything was perfect…

"_**Ladies and Gentlemen! Boys and Girls! The park will be closing in ten minutes so please gather your things and prepare to leave! Thank you for visiting the Pokémon Island Amusement Park and we hope to see you again!" **_

The sudden announcement made both of them jump, so instead of a kiss, they head-butted each other. They both rubbed their heads and now the mood was killed. Justin had a few choice words for the pain and the interruption.

"**Two nights in a row! Seriously?**" They looked at each other again and laughed. It was getting late and the ferry was going to leave soon. Once they left the park and reached the ferry, Justin and Skyla stood close to each other watching the moonlit sea as they sailed across. The important thing was that they were enjoying each other's company. She rested her head on his shoulders and said,

"Thanks for the date."

"Of course." She nudged his side and said,

"Don't forget you still have to kiss me eventually." Justin smiled. He knew for certain what he was feeling now. It was a simple four letter word that many were afraid to say. It was love.

**Awwww! What a sweet chapter. I' m sorry if it's sappy, but hey! It's love man! Anyways guys there will be an update for Pokémon Academy on Friday and an update for Legacy tomorrow! Remember to check it out and share it with your friends! Don't forget to review! **

** -N-Black, Out**


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15: Fun at the Beach! **

** Lucy's POV**

She sat at her desk fiddling with the remote to her hidden security cameras. Lucy had installed them the week before Justin started to meet with her every week. A smile crossed her lips. That boy was the key part of her plan and now everything was in place. His closeness with Skyla over the past week only helped further her plan. Lucy went into the back of her office and on a pedestal sat a TV with the recording of the time when she left Justin alone in her office. She pressed play and saw that he poured some of her berry juice into a bottle. She couldn't help but laugh at his attempts to figure out what the juice did. His efforts were seen when Gardenia came to her office a few days ago. She showed all the signs of having ingested the juice. Gardenia was still sensitive because the mix she had prepared was a tad too strong, but it would make things more fun that way.

Her meetings with Justin through the week were even more fun because of the incident. Lucy liked to play around like she knew just a little of what happened and the reaction she got was priceless. He was surprisingly innocent for a boy his age and from what she gathered, he hadn't even had his first kiss yet. That and so much more would all change soon because his two admirers will have their chance soon…

**Justin's POV**

The week had flown by and the new weekend was already upon him. Classes were the same, but things just kept getting harder in Colress's class. He was especially critical on Justin if he made a mistake, but he could never figure out why. Battling 101 was actually fun now that he and his Pokémon were starting to sync up. Trent's advice was invaluable and he had set up extra training time for him after school. However, none of these things were as big as him and Skyla. They had been closer than before and the news spread like wildfire. Austin had approached him with the new rumor,

"_**The High-Flying Girl and the Black-clad Living Rumor are together?!**_"

Austin had told him that news got around fast and this was especially true with his little brawl in the arcade. The whole thing was going viral and he was getting asked constantly to tell people where he learned how to fight. Justin would never tell them about it, but honestly, it came naturally and with a little practice in his free time, he became a force to be reckoned with. The only real act of physical violence he did was the kick. The rest was just dodging around them and turning their own momentum against them. Despite all the new rumors, he and Skyla were having fun together, but they weren't officially together. He had never asked her that question because it was such a new concept to him, it was almost alien. Justin figured that the easiest way to relax himself about the whole thing was to ask his friends how their dates went. Carlos and Candice had a simple date, but nothing serious happened. When Justin asked him why he didn't chase her any further he replied saying that he liked to keep his options open and that there was going to be another date with a girl named Jamie. What was really surprising was the results of Ethan's date.

Ethan and Lyra were apparently made for each other. The two hit it off nearly instantly and Ethan seemed to be in high spirits every time he saw her during the week. Carlos still had many girls he could ask out thanks to Chuberto's amazing wingman skill and Ethan had pretty much found his soul mate. It didn't help Justin that his best friends had found so much success so he delayed asking Skyla even though she made it obvious she wanted him to.

On a more positive note, Carmen had started to talk to him again, but now he was confused on how he should feel around her. The last time they saw each other, he wanted her to notice he liked her, but with Hunter popping back up in her life she shut down all contact with everyone. He avoided the subject of her ex because he knew it was a sensitive subject, but maybe one day she would confide with him. However, there was something that was bothering him and it was Lucy's apparent knowledge that Gardenia had taken some of the juice and that he had some of it in his possession. Maybe she had set up hidden cameras in her office, but he was pretty sure that Lucy wasn't that crazy. Tomorrow was training with Cynthia, but at the beach. As she predicted last weekend, it was going to be the last hot day before the chill of autumn came, but what kind of training would they do on the beach? The hour was late and Justin let out a loud yawn. He would need his full strength if he was to handle whatever training Cynthia might throw at him. Justin flopped down on his bed and started to feel the pull of sleep drag him under…

**In The Morning…**

Justin was busy packing his essentials for his training today. He brought his swim trunks for the beach, money for food, his shades, and sunscreen because even the darker-skinned people can get sunburn. He was eager to get out to the beach for some odd reason. Maybe it was because he could go swimming in the island's ocean for the first time. On his way down the atrium, Austin met up with him to talk about the upcoming tournament. He was busy training his team, but he said that today would be an R&R day with his girlfriend at the beach. He was talkative, but since Austin did have a lot more experience at the academy, Justin just listened to what he said.

"Yeah Leaf and I have been going out for five years now."

"Wow that's a pretty long time."

"It is but we're happy with each other." The two of them and the rest of the main island visitors boarded up on the ferry. Justin stared at the beautiful sparkling sea and couldn't wait to jump into the water. Justin and Austin hopped off the ferry and ran towards the beach as fast as they could. They neared the boardwalk and looked over the edge. There were people strewn across the sandy expanse of the beach all having fun. Some were playing volleyball, others were in the water with their Pokémon, and some laid down in the sun. Austin was the first to run down the entry.

"C'mon you Slowpoke!"

"Wait up!" While the two of them were running down the sandy slope, Justin kept his eyes peeled for any sign of Cynthia. He was primarily looking for her distinctive long blonde hair, but she appeared to not be anywhere on the beach. Austin ran off in the other direction towards a girl with brown hair who he guessed was his girlfriend Leaf Green. Justin walked down to the bathroom to get changed for the beach. When he emerged, he wore a plain black tank top, black sandals, and black swimming trunks. The beach had lots of people on it so it was hard to determine where to look first.

"Justin!" The voice came from the water, but it was not Cynthia's. When he turned to look, his eyes widened at the sight. Skyla, Cynthia, and Elesa were already inside the water in their swimsuits. Cynthia had her hair up in a ponytail using her black hair ornaments and wore an all-black two piece swimsuit. Skyla had a sky blue two piece and Elesa had a yellow two piece with black trim. Justin stood planted in place as if he had used Ingrain. "Hurry up and get in the water!" The words finally reached his ears and he put his stuff down and ran towards the water line. As he was running, he threw his shirt off and now the girls' eyes were wide. When he got into the cold and salty water, he raised an inquisitive eyebrow at them.

"What? Why are you all staring at me like that?" He saw evidence of a blush on Skyla and Elesa's faces.

"How can't we stare when you look like as built as a Machoke?" The comment was surprising. Was he gaining muscle from just those two days of training? He checked and sure enough he saw that he was showing the signs of developing muscle. Skyla put her hand on his abdomen and rubbed around. "Wow! It's all hard!" That wasn't the only thing that was going to be if she kept that up.

"Well that's great and all, but why don't we go swimming?" He grabbed Skyla's hand and saw that Elesa had turned away. "Hey Elesa!" She turned around and Justin could tell that she looked a little flustered. "Good to see you."

"Y-Yeah?" Cynthia shot him a sly smile and clapped her hands.

"Alright then! Why don't we have some fun while we're out here?" There were shouts of excitement and the three of them swam around. Justin would sneak up behind the girls and splash water on them while they were talking. He figured why should he have all the fun? He called out his Pokémon to play as well. Dewott thoroughly enjoyed being in the ocean again and Eevee was busy learning how to swim. Gligar was in the sand resting and Scyther flew above the water to enjoy the ocean breeze.

"Hey Cynthia, what am I going to do for my training?" She was busy sitting in a chair under the sun when he asked her.

"You haven't figured it out yet? This is your training, but I'll leave you to figure out what I'm training you for." She put on her sunglasses. "Go and have fun today!" As he walked away, he couldn't help but notice that Elesa was by herself in the water. Skyla was busy playing with Dewott, but Elesa looked lonely. She had that same somber atmosphere since he arrived. He ran out to the water and swam towards her.

"Yo." She turned around and looked at him with a blank expression.

"H-Hi…"

"You okay? You don't look like you're having much fun."

"Really? Well I'm just… curious about something."

"What about?"

"I've heard rumors that you and Skyla are…together?" When she said the last part, it sounded as if it would pain her to admit if it was true. Justin cared for her of course, but they weren't an "official" couple.

"Honestly… no were not actually going out." Something that resembled happiness flashed in her eyes.

"You're not?" She smiled and got closer towards him. "That's good because it would make saying this a whole lot harder."

"What're you going to say?" She got up closer to him and was about to speak when a huge splash came from behind them. The two of them turned around to see Skyla high fiving Dewott.

"Good one Dewott!"

"Wott!" Elesa's happy eyes were now filled with annoyance. Without a word, she swam back to the shore and went towards the snack shack.

"Elesa! What was that for?" He asked a little more forcefully than he intended and Skyla answered as if she should choose her words carefully.

"I-I'm sorry, it's just that I wanted to pay you back for earlier… I didn't do anything wrong did I?" He was about to go off on her, but he held back.

"No... you didn't and I'm sorry for lashing at you like that." She swam up close to him so she could place her head on his chest.

"Apology accepted."

"You look great by the way." She backed away and twirled around slowly.

"You like it? I always say that swimsuits are all about self-composure or self-exposure!" He looked out to shore to see if Elesa was still out there but she was gone.

"I'm going to go see if Elesa is alright."

"Okay then! Come on Dewott! Let's go wake up Cynthia before she gets all burnt." Justin emerged from the water to meet up Elesa who now had a drink from the snack shack.

"Oh there you are! Sorry about Skyla, she was only playing." They sat down by on a wooden bench.

"I know it's just that she doesn't know when to stop playing."

"I see, but she's your best friend so you've got to understand… well you said you had something to say to me right?" She nearly dropped her drink when he brought up their previous conversation.

"Oh yeah I, uh…" Her eyes widened and she looked at her drink. She seemed to remember something. "Oh I remember now! I wanted to let you try this drink!" She thrust it out towards him. "It's made with berries grown right here on the island and this shack is famous for them."

"Sure, I'll try some." He grabbed the drink, but didn't know what was potentially inside of it since it was in a Styrofoam cup and a non-see through plastic lid. It wouldn't hurt to try would it? He sucked some of the juice from the straw and was surprised at how refreshing it was. It was slightly tart, but it was sweet with just the slightest twang of bitterness. "Wow! That's good stuff!" Elesa was watching him as if waiting to see what else might happen to him, but she grabbed the drink and drank some as well.

"Yeah…it is…" She looked happier than she had all day, but it was good to see her like this. The last time he had even seen or heard from her was last week after she came from the roof. Justin was beginning to worry that Skyla and Elesa weren't talking anymore. "I'm going back into the water to relax." She ran down and Justin went back to where Cynthia was and saw Skyla sitting in a chair as well. She was about to apply sunscreen, but when she saw Justin a devious grin formed.

"Oh Justin! You're just in time to help me out with my sunscreen."

"Help you out with the sunscreen?" She tossed him the bottle and flipped onto her stomach. She giggled and gave him one last sly look.

"You'll have to undo my bra cause I don't want any tan lines okay?"

"O-Okay…" He poured some of the sunscreen into his palm and spread it across her back. He was doing fine until he reached her bra. He hesitated and Skyla caught him.

"What're you waiting for buff boy? Unhook it." He did so, but it wasn't as awkward as he expected it to be. Guess all that undressing Cynthia did have gotten him used to it. She purred like a Persian when he went across her shoulders and started to rub the lotion in. "That feels good…" He glanced at Cynthia and she mouthed the words,

"Good job" His little massage ended when he heard a scream from the water. Justin turned and saw that Elesa was flailing for help.

"SOMEONE HELP!" There were bystanders watching in horror as she was slowly being pulled into the sea.

"What's happening!?" Skyla had hooked her bra back on and saw that Elesa needed help. "C'mon Justin! We have to help her!" The two of them got up and sprinted towards the shore line. Elesa's hand was the only part of her that was visible now. "Swanna let's go!" The elegant bird Pokémon soared upwards from the flash of light of the Poke ball and circled above a dark shadow in the water.

"Austin!" The third year was already on his way and he sent out into the water a large, formidable, sea-serpent like Pokémon.

"Gyarados!" The Pokémon let out a roar, but a large tentacle shot out form the sea and struck it. The blow staggered the Pokémon, but it seemed to just piss it off. "Gyarados! Get down there and knock whatever's under there out!" It submerged, but Justin wasn't going to let up either.

"Dewott, come on and help me out however you can!" the blue otter dove underneath and Justin did as well. He looked down and saw Elesa was unconscious. The shadow of Gyarados was visible underneath the water. Justin pointed down to Elesa and Dewott sped off using Aqua Jet. His partner grabbed Elesa's hand, but whatever was holding her didn't seem inclined to let go. Dewott took one of its shells and used a quick Razor Shell on the tentacle. From within the water, Justin heard an earsplitting screech and saw the large appendage recede to its body. Dewott grabbed Elesa and Aqua Jetted out of the water. Justin shot him a thumbs up and was beginning to paddle upwards. He would let Austin and his Gyarados take care of the rest. He was nearly towards the sunny surface when another tentacle grabbed his ankle. He tried to wrench it off but it didn't budge. The grip only tightened. From beneath the rest of the water, Justin saw a faint red glow. There was a large shape approaching him quickly and Justin realized that it was Gyarados. The large Pokémon lifted him out of the water and Justin flew skywards. He was now falling down and if he hit the water from this high up, it would feel like he landed on concrete. Justin braced for impact, but he was caught mid-fall by Skyla's Swanna.

"Thanks." The Pokémon squawked and flew down to the ground and let him off. Justin took another look at Gyarados and saw that it had numerous injuries on it. "Austin what do you think did that?"

"I'm not sure, but it sent Gyarados packing. Check on Elesa, she's still not conscious." He ran over to the group of people and muscled his way through. He crouched down next to her and she looked incredibly pale.

"I think she needs CPR." Skyla was puffy eyed from having seen her friend like this.

"I don't know how to though! Does anyone know?" There was no response. "Ugh! Where are the lifeguards?"

"They're all inside of the clubhouse right now checking their equipment. I'll go get them."

"She may not have that long to wait!"

"Well you'll just have to try!" There was no other alternative. She could be fading right now and if he kept arguing instead of trying… he would never live with the guilt. Justin recalled what he knew from movies and TV shows and pressed his hands against the top of her chest and pushed downward to open her airways. There was no response yet so he would have to do mouth-to-mouth. He felt nervous with all these people watching him do this, but if he hesitated, he may be too late. He quickly placed his mouth on hers and pinched her nose. He breathed and her chest rose. He kept going, repeating between the chest compressions and breathing. She still didn't stir, but he still kept going.

"C'mon… please don't go! Wake up!" Her body was still and her breathing was slight. He gave it one last try. He took a large gulp of air and placed his mouth over hers. Her chest rose again and fell slowly, but it was doing it by itself now. Her eyes opened slowly and she let out a muffled gasp when she saw him. Justin released the contact and Elesa coughed. Skyla wrapped her arms around her friend and he could see the tears fall from her face.

"Oh you're okay…" The crowd started to cheer and some were crying as well. Elesa hadn't taken her eyes off of him the entire time. The various beach goers were patting him on the back, but he slid away to ask Austin about the attack.

"How is she now?"

"She's fine. Anything else happen down there?"

"No. Looks like Gyarados roughed up whatever was down there pretty good. Good work pal." The Atrocious Pokémon lowered its head and Austin patted it. "Get some rest now. Justin thanks for the assistance." He recalled the Gyarados and wrapped an arm around the waist of his girlfriend Leaf who had ran to his side.

"You okay Austin?" She was checking him from head to toe to make sure he was uninjured.

"I'm fine Leaf. Thank you for your concern."

"You had me so worried." They hugged and she turned her head to Justin. "Thank you Justin. You did a great job and thanks for making sure Austin didn't get hurt." Justin bowed his head and the couple went off. Elesa was on her feet now but she was pale with shock.

"You alright Elesa?" She nodded. "We should leave, who knows if whatever that thing is comes back or something." Dewott came waddling to his side and Justin scratched the smooth fur on top of its head. "Way to go Dewott. Let's go home." As they left the beach, Justin saw no sign of Cynthia as they left. Why had she left them there when she could've helped? By the time they made it to the ferry, Elesa was back to her original color and she started to speak again.

"T-Thanks…" She stumbled a little but he caught her.

"Skyla help me out?"

"Of course." Together, they supported Elesa onto the ferry and awaited their return to the academy. Once they had docked, they made it to the elevator of the girl's dorms and Skyla was ready to leave with Elesa. "Thanks for the help Justin, but I've got it from here." Her voice strained with the effort to support Elesa's full weight.

"No way. I'm coming too."

"Are you nuts? What if someone catches you?"

"They won't, now come on." Skyla reluctantly surrendered and Justin now supported Elesa's full weight instead. As the elevator went up, Justin started to feel weird. It was a strange sensation that made him all excited. His thoughts were clouded and he smelt a sweet scent in the air. It was similar to the smell when Gardenia had drunken that berry juice, but none of them seemed to be acting funny like Gardenia. He looked at Skyla and all he could see was dirty images of her and the same was for Elesa too. What was going on? The elevator stopped and they quietly went to Skyla's room. Now that he was in the girl's wing, the smell was even stronger. It made Justin's hormones go haywire. They retreated inside the room without being spotted and they all let out big sighs when they were clear.

Justin set Elesa down on her bed and sat down next to her. Skyla opened the door to check for any unwanted attention, but reported that they were safe for the time being.

"We're good for now, but if you left in the middle of the night you could get caught for sneaking out or even worse if you were found in the girl's dorm."

"So what should I do?" His thoughts were still muddled from the arousing scent.

"I recommend that you stay here for the night and leave early in the morning."

"What if Lyra comes in?"

"She'll understand, trust me. Just lay low here for a while and take care of Elesa while I go back down and find Lyra so I can tell her." She left and Justin was busy sending messages to Ethan and Carlos to tell them about today and why he wasn't there. After the messages were sent, he turned his attention to Elesa and saw that she appeared to be fine. He felt her forehead and it was warm to the touch.

"I think you might be starting to have a fever." She beckoned with her right hand to come and sit down by her. When he sat down he looked at her. Her shining eyes looked hungry for something and Justin sniffed the air and realized that the sweet smell was really strong in the room. He could still taste the drink from the beach He remembered that it was tart, sweet, and just a tad bitter. It sounded familiar and he was sure that Gardenia had said something about it before,

"_It's sweet like Pecha berries, but it's bitter too! There's probably a Rawst berry in there…"_

He slowly thought it out and realized that he was slipped the juice by none other than Elesa! His only question was that it took him a long time to feel the effects of the juice when Gardenia had felt them in about five minutes. Elesa rolled on top of him and forced his body down on the bed. A lust filled smile crossed her lips.

"You look like you know something Justin. Tell me what it is."

"That drink wasn't normal was it?" She giggled.

"No it wasn't, but who cares?" She brought her lips down to his ear and whispered, "Consider this a thank you for saving me…" She was bringing her lips towards his and he nearly broke, but he gently stopped the approach by holding her head in place. "Oh, you want to take control? Then show me how in command you are." Her request made him lose control temporarily. In one fluid motion, he reversed the position so that he was on top now. It was getting more difficult to stop himself and if he couldn't find a way, he might just snap. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and started to grind against him. She was letting out soft moans and between her ragged breaths she said,

"C'mon! You…know you want to." He silently braced himself for what he was about to do, but it was for the good of both of them. He quickly tapped his family jewels and all the arousal was gone now. It was replaced with a sudden growing pain and it seemed his drastic emergency brake worked on Elesa too. She rubbed her head and looked around. "What the…" She looked up and her face heated up with color. She didn't scream or anything, but she quietly said, "Did we do…?"

"No." His answer was filled with agony. It would've been so much easier to just let it happen, but he had to do it to retain his and Elesa's innocence.

"If we didn't do it… then why are you on top of me?"

"Long story…" He rolled off of her and she still looked up at where he was as if it were a dream. Skyla opened the door and Lyra came in as well.

"So you're staying the night?" Justin nodded and Lyra shrugged. "He'll have to sleep on the floor unless you want to share a bed Skyla."

"You alright with sharing a bed Justin?"

"No problem." The three girls got ready for bed and Lyra consistently checked on Elesa to make sure she was okay. Elesa was in her bed already asleep and Lyra was just getting into hers. Justin laid facing the ceiling, but Skyla snuggled up to him.

"It's kind of cold…" She said. Justin could take the hint. He flipped over and put his arm over Skyla and pulled her closer. "Better." Lyra shifted and looked at the two of them.

"Try not to be too loud you two." Justin's face heated up, but Skyla giggled.

"Oh we won't make noise…" She leaned in close to Justin and smiled seductively. "Much…" She whispered. She came in even closer and closed her eyes. The only person who remained up was Justin and it was because he was still shocked about Elesa sliding him the juice. Did the place sell them? Did Lucy give her some to use? But the biggest question was why she had done so. The effects were definitely hard to resist mentally, but physical pain stopped it just fine. He decided that it was time to get some answers from Lucy the next time he saw her. But for now he was sleepy and the warm embrace of Skyla made him feel comfortable. Despite all his worries he could relax and roam free in his dreams once he was asleep…

**BOOM! Chapter 15 is done guys! Thanks for reading and reviewing as always! One note I would like to make, if you plan on sending in an OC, please try to make sure you don't send a Pokémon that is already in the story! It has been a recurring issue and it's a hassle to tell everyone to change their team every time so please look at the OC's teams in the story already and make your choices! I understand if the Pokémon is vital to your character's team and that I haven't released all the Pokémon the OC's have, but just take a quick look at the current Pokémon so that you know not to choose those ones. Anyways, review guys and check out Legacy! I'm pumped to right that story so check it out and review it! Send in this OC's and have a good weekend! I'll see you on Wednesday!**

**-N-Black, Out**


	16. Chapter 16

**N-Black is back with beginning of the new three part adventure! Prepare your eyes for pure unadulterated AWSOMENESS! **

**Chapter 16: The Cavern of the Abyss: Part 1**

Justin awoke earlier than the girls did. The sun was just beginning to rise. Skyla snoozed contentedly by him, as did Elesa and Lyra. He was alone in a room with three very nice-looking girls, but there was one thing that turned it sour. He had no idea how he was going to sneak out of the dorms! He gently moved Skyla's slender arm off of him and he went to the window of the room.

As he looked outside, he remembered his first night here on the island and the "peeping" incident that followed. It was almost funny that the girl he had accidentally spied on tried to get intimate with him. The Murkrow that caused the problem for him in the first place was in the tree just next to girl's dorms. Justin was sure that that bird would go around and tell everyone it could about him being in the dorms if it could speak.

It would be best to leave now while everyone was still sleeping. He grabbed a pen and a piece of paper and wrote a note explaining why he had left so early. Before he left, he decided to check if Elesa was still okay. He gently placed a hand on her forehead and there appeared to be nothing wrong. Content with her condition, he went for the door and left the girls to their dreams.

There was no one in the halls yet, so it looked like he was safe. The girls were four floors up, so he would have to walk carefully so he wouldn't disturb anyone. He made it to the elevator without causing too much of a ruckus. Taking one more look around, he walked into the elevator and breathed a sigh of relief once its doors were closed. The elevator stopped at the second floor for some reason. When the door opened, a very tired looking Roxanne came inside. Her eyes had dark circles around them and her usually neat and prim hair was out of place. As she walked inside, she paid no attention to Justin.

"Good morning Gloria…" She said dreamily. Justin decided to play it cool and just follow along.

"Hello Roxanne! A good morning it is!" He said in a much higher pitched voice. "What're you doing up so early?"

"Oh you know… a little of this and a little of that…" She talked as if she were in a far off place. "I've never met a problem that stumped quite like this, but I'm determined to solve it!" So that's what was keeping her up. Just like Roxanne to be focusing on school all the time. Didn't she ever take a break? Justin never understood people who worked so hard in their classes when they already know the material like the back of their hands. If all you do is work and never rest; you'll just burn out.

"What kind of problem is it?"

"The kind I don't understand dear Gloria!" The elevator reached the atrium and they walked outside. Justin made sure to keep himself behind her so that she wouldn't recognize him. Roxanne stopped, but did not turn around. "Gloria?"

"Yes?" Justin's voice was beginning to crack. Damn puberty!

"You don't sound quite like yourself. Are you feeling alright?" She turned around and rubbed her eyes. "You look… different. When'd you get so tall?"

"Erm, uh, well…"

"You look like you got a tan as well… have you been to the beach?"

"Uh, yes! Just yesterday actually." She got closer and inspected him from head to toe.

"You've gotten more… attractive. You look like him…"

"Like who?" He dropped the act unintentionally and it seemed to wake up Roxanne even more.

"You sound like him too! Oh he has such a nice voice… and his eyes…" She held her cheeks and closed her eyes. She appeared to be thinking about this mystery guy. "The way he talks to me! He actually cares about me and not just my work in school! I feel like I can trust him with anything, but I'm so shy around him… it's almost like a blessing from Arceus that Miss Lucy decided to help me!"

"L-Lucy?" The name sent chills down Justin's spine. He pictured her red eyes and wry smile looking at him with hunger. If Roxanne was getting help from Lucy… that could possibly mean two words… Berry Juice.

"Yes Gloria! Madame Lucy has given me something that will help me capture his heart! I can't tell you the exact details, but it's bound to work!" It was definitely the juice. Whoever Roxanne was going to target, he had to tell them about it before something bad happened.

"Roxanne, who is this person?" She tilted her brown eyes at him and said dreamily,

"Evoran… Justin Evoran." She ran over and hugged him and he felt his face warm up. Roxanne had a thing for him? What had he done to make that happen? He wasn't repulsed by the fact that she liked him, but it was unexpected. He kind of considered her to be like a little sister since he carried her books and helped her out when she was down and gave her advice… wait. That was plenty reason for her to like him! "Isn't it great Gloria?" She looked up at him, and the sleepiness seemed to be disappearing now.

Roxanne blinked a few times and noticed that it was him. Her once smiling face faded and it turned red in an instant.

"J-J-Justin?" He raised his hands up in a "you-got-me!" kid of gesture.

"In the flesh!" She backed away and looked around nervously.

"You weren't G-Gloria?" If he had revealed that he wasn't, it might crush her that she just poured her deepest feelings to the person she liked.

"No Gloria just left a while ago. I just came by when you finished talking to her. I'm not sure why you hugged me, but hey! I'm not complaining!" He saw a flash of hope in her eyes.

"Y-You didn't mind?"

"No, no, not at all! It's just a hug isn't it?" She sighed with relief.

"Yes… it's just a hug. Why are you up so early?" She appeared to be more comfortable around him.

"Just couldn't sleep. How about you?"

"I was busy working on something, but I feel really tired." Roxanne took a seat on the floor. "I haven't slept in three days."

"You should get some sleep instead of being up and about."

"That's just the thing! There's, uh, something I've been working on…"

"Really? Well… I won't pry if you're not comfortable with me asking."

"That's nice of you. I actually came down for some warm milk."

"Why don't we go together? We haven't talked in a while." He offered her his hand and she took it shyly. The two of them walked towards the cafeteria and all the way they talked about school, well that was mostly Roxanne.

"You work too hard you know that? You need a break." She turned and looked at him with curious eyes.

"A break? I don't need breaks."

"Yes you do. If you don't relax, your whole body will just shut down on you." Justin thought about what he could do to help relieve some of her stress and came up with a perfect idea. "I know! Why don't we go to a nice spa or something! I heard that the hot springs here are great!"

"H-Hot springs? Oh I don't know… that really isn't my kind of thing."

"Come on! Don't knock it till you try it. If we go, I guarantee you that you'll feel better."

"You're certain I'll feel better if I take a break?"

"Positive!" She held her chin in thought and she smiled.

"Very well, I'll go to the hot springs!"

"You mean _we'll_ go to the hot springs" Roxanne's face turned red again when he said that.

"W-We're going together? Isn't that a little… perverted?" Justin couldn't help but laugh at her lack of school based knowledge.

"No silly! There's separate baths for the men and women of course… unless." Justin paused and waited for her to listen carefully. "You wanted to go together."

"No that's not it! I wasn't thinking of that at all! It's just that I, uh…" She was so spirited in her protest.

"Relax! It's just a joke Roxanne!" Her face became its usual color and she looked to the ground embarrassedly.

"O-Of course… it is just a joke…" By the time their conversation ended, Justin saw Carmen fiddling with the card key lock to the Habitat Enclosure. She looked like she was going to go hiking. She had her black combats on, tight fitting camouflage cargos, a hiking vest, a backpack, black gloves, her choker, and a black sports shirt. "What's Carmen doing?"

"You know her?"

"Yes, everyone counseled by Ms. Lucy knows her. She's the pride and joy of the female first-year battlers."

"Well let's find out what she's doing." Their footsteps didn't seem to faze Carmen. She was so focused on the lock that it appeared no outside noise distracted her. "Carmen?" Justin tapped her shoulder and she whipped around like lightning. Once she saw that it was just him, she calmed down.

"Oh, it's just you. What are you doing?" Justin peeked around at the card key interface.

"I could ask you the same question." Carmen looked back at the card key slide.

"Oh this? It's, uh nothing really." Both Justin and Roxanne looked at her with upraised eyebrows. Carmen looked around nervously. With a sigh, she looked at the two of them. "Okay I'll tell you…" Justin and Roxanne leaned in with anticipation. Carmen dropped her voice to a whisper even though they were the only three in the hallway. "I've been digging around in the island's history and I found a really interesting piece of information." She paused for dramatic effect. "It turns out that this island is actually linked to the main island! There's an undersea cavern that goes directly to the main island and it's underneath the Habitat Enclosure."

"How'd you find this?" Roxanne asked. It appeared that the curious scholar has returned.

"I have my sources…" She went back to the lock and it flashed green. The doors opened and the beautiful Habitat Enclosure was visible. Justin hadn't been inside of this part of the school since his first day. Carmen turned towards them again. "I was going to go check it out by myself, but I don't have a problem if you want to help out."

"What do you think Roxanne?" She held her chin to think.

"Why are you going down there anyways?"

"I want to see what it's like and I heard that there are valuable gems underneath." Roxanne continued to think. Justin wanted to go because it seemed like a once in a life time opportunity. He could travel under the sea without having to be in the water.

"If there are truly valuable gems there… it could benefit the school and Devon Corporation if we could find them. Alright, I'm in!" Carmen smiled, obviously happy with the extra help.

"Then follow me." She led them to the ocean habitat zone and knelt down. "The sea water is actually being brought in by the ocean cavern, so if we just drained this momentarily…" She retrieved a flashlight from her backpack and shined it into the water. As she scanned the bottom, Justin spotted a spot where bubbles were flowing out of.

"Right there!"

"Nice find. The cavern is full of air so there must be some way drain the water."

"I got this Carmen." Justin stepped forward and sent out Dewott. "Dewott swim under the water and drain the water somehow." The otter Pokemon dove underneath and they patiently waited for it to return.. Dewott's shadow could be seen underneath the water's surface. The Pokemon moved gracefully under the water. The shadow stopped and the water level began to drop. Soon the under sea enclosure was dry and Dewott stood at the base of the artificial seafloor with a confident grin. Justin bent down and shouted. "Way to go Dewott!" There was a slight push from behind Justin and he fell down to the bottom of the basin. He landed with a dull thud and rubbed his lower back which took the brunt of the fall. From the top he saw a surprised Roxanne and Carmen.

"Who did that?"

"I did." The voice that answered did not belong to Roxanne or Carmen and a new figure walked over the edge. Justin silently cursed as he saw Lucy looking down upon him with a devilish grin on her face.

"Ms. Lucy?" She brought the two girls together in her arms and laughed.

"My, my, my… you seem to be up to something fun. You even drained the ocean habitat! Sneaking into the Habitat Enclosure without permission is quite… naughty." She had her eyes focused on Justin when she spoke and he couldn't help but feel anxiety over what was going to happen next. "I could report this incident to the Headmaster or you could do me a favor."

"What's the favor Ms. Lucy?" Carmen asked. Lucy smiled and crossed her arms.

"You take me where you were planning to go and I won't tell a soul about this whole incident." Justin didn't believe her, but the girls agreed to bring her along regardless. The three of them safely climbed down the ladder. Justin was hoping that Lucy fell off of it. She walked over to him and sweetly offered him a hand. "Need some help Justin?"

"I'm fine." He got up by himself despite the throb in his back and she inspected him with a worried eye.

"It seems that you took quite a thrashing… I caused the damage so let me fix it." She reached for his shirt slowly, but he darted to the entrance to the cavern.

"I'm fine thank you very much!" He saw that Carmen was chuckling to herself, but Roxanne looked worried. Was she concerned for his back? She noticed him staring ands quickly went into the entrance. He gestured for Carmen to go in, but Lucy cut her off. She walked in slowly and dragged her fingers across his face with a sultry smile.

"What a gentleman…" Her fingers felt like ice and Carmen shot him a smile before she walked in. The girls were all inside now so he too delved into the dark reaches of the cavern, anxious to see what they would find…

**Short beginning to the new three part adventure, but it will get better these next few chapters! Update for the story will be on Wednesday next week! Look forward to Legacy this Thursday! Check out the new poll to vote on your favorite shipping! I'm curious to see your choices. One last thing is that I ask you to PM me your OC's instead of putting them into the reviews. **

**P.S: I had to upload today because I had to go play in a concert tomorrow!**

**-N-Black, Out**


	17. Chapter 17

**N-Black is back with an early update to Pokemon Academy! I had some inspiration and I just had to write. I will start displaying the poll results during updates and the results for the favorite shipping are…**

**Justin x Roxanne: 2**

**Justin x Elesa: 1 **

**Justin x Skyla: 1 **

**Justin x Lucy: 0**

**Justin x Carmen: 0 **

**I was actually pleasantly surprised with the results. I honestly thought that it would be Skyla or Elesa who had the most votes, but I was proven wrong! Anyways, let's go on with the story! :D**

** Chapter 17: The Cavern of the Abyss: Part 2**

The farther they got from the surface, the darker it became. The darkness was becoming too much to bear so Carmen took her flashlight out from her pack and shined it all around the cave. It was surprisingly narrow still, but the echoes of the sea water hitting the rocks were amplified. Roxanne had tripped over some of the stones a few times and awoken multiple flocks of Zubat. Everyone's hair was a mess from the Zubats flying all around them, but Lucy was untouched. The Zubats approached her but they flitted away with squeaks that portrayed fear. Justin couldn't blame them for running from her… He would too.

They traveled through the rocky cavern for what felt like hours, but what was probably half-an-hour. The briny smell of the ocean was faint, but Justin knew that they must have been under the water now. How would the teachers and students react to the giant whole in the Habitat Enclosure? They would most likely try to rescue them, but Carmen said that no one's been inside if these ruins. Justin thought that this was unlikely. People had gone under here before… They just never got out. It was a really comforting thought especially since he was traveling with a devious witch lady with a thing for Berry Juice.

Carmen stopped in a wide cavern and looked around. "Alright, let's stop here and rest real quick." There were no objections from anyone or comments. The rough floor had taken a toll on all their feet. Justin sat down on a slab of smooth rock and took his shoes off. The rush of the waves could be heard faintly through the rock walls.

"Hey Carmen? Can the sea water break through these walls?" She was busy checking her things and without looking, answered him.

"They shouldn't unless the walls are weakened." That was a load off his mind. The whole time they had been traveling, he had been worried about drowning in the cavern. Justin felt like he could finally relax until Lucy took the seat next to him.

"My poor feet!" She took off her shoes and checked them with concern. "All this walking isn't good for my soles." Justin wanted would rather be swimming in a water filled cavern than talking to Lucy.

"Maybe you shouldn't have come." She cooed at him.

"Aw! You're worried about my well being! That's so sweet of you." A vein pulsed in Justin's head.

"Y-You know that's not what I meant!" Her laugh filled the cavern and the echo that followed was dark and eerie.

"You're so funny when you're flustered!" She scooted closer to him so that her red eyes bore into his soul. "I'm here because I care about the well fare of my students." She placed her feet by his hands and sighed. "Could you be a doll and massage my feet for me? I don't know whether or not I can continue if they aren't treated."

"Like that's going to happen…" He said through clenched teeth.

Roxanne was busy compiling things with Carmen when she said, "You should do it Justin." Her agreement with Lucy was surprising. "She can really help us if we run into trouble because of her past experience as a Frontier Brain. If she were to leave and if we ran into a powerful Pokemon…" When she put it like that, it made him almost want to help Lucy, but he still wasn't going to.

"No means no!" He heard sobs coming from next to him and realized that it was Lucy shedding fake tears.

"Oh you're so heartless!"

"See?" Roxanne said matter of factly. "Ms. Lucy is a sensitive person, so please Justin." She put her hands together in a praying sort of matter and looked at him pleadingly. Carmen was giving him the same look, but it was out of annoyance of Lucy's crying. He wrestled with himself mentally, but his "good" side won. For once, he wished he wasn't such a nice person.

The experience of having to massage that devil-woman's feet tore his pride, self-esteem' and his soul to pieces. He felt so embarrassed having to do that in front of the other girls, but what made it worse were all the sounds and comments Lucy were making. She moaned loudly every time he hit certain spots and she kept saying things like,

"Harder! Faster!" and many more "suggestive" things. He felt like asking his Dewott to use Scald on his hands to cleanse them, but no amount of cleaning could wash away what he had just did. They had started to move again and Lucy walked with a spring in her step. He hadn't even really tried to massage her feet. It was more like place his thumb one spot and then move it after a minute sort of deal. While he was "massaging" Lucy's feet, he couldn't help but notice that Roxanne looked a bit distressed. She looked the same way when ever Lucy was around him.

**"Devil woman…" **He thought. The sounds of the waves died out and now there was silence. They were probably completely submerged now. What was it like outside of the rock cave? Were there Pokemon swimming about, or was there just empty sea. Perhaps a beautiful Corsola reef or the dark bowels of the deep sea? The possibilities intrigued Justin and he narrowly stepped out of the way right before he collided with a stalactite. They came to a fork in the road when three paths, no not the usual two, appeared before them. Carmen stared intently at the three paths, but made no decision.

"I have an idea." Roxanne stepped forward and Carmen let her take the lead. Roxanne tossed a Pokeball up and from the flash of light came a blue Pokemon with a large red nose. "Ok Nosepass! Show us the way!" The Pokemon remained idle, but its red nose glowed and its rigid body started to turn to the left. It stopped at the third entrance and the nose glowed brightly. Carmen walked over with a smile on her face and patted Roxanne on the back.

"Good job." She went into the indicated entrance and Justin went to Roxanne.

"Nosepass?"

"Yes. It's my strongest Pokemon, but I'm not much of a battler." He wanted to continue the conversation further, but Lucy swooped in on him and hooked his arm with hers.

"Oh it's so dark in there!" She brushed up against him and dragged him away from Roxanne. "I'll need to hold on to you for protection."

"**You need protection? I need protection from you!"** He thought with anger. He looked back and saw that Roxanne was walking with her Nosepass with that same gloomy expression. What had happened to make her this way? As he was being dragged by Lucy, he noticed that she was right. The cave was unusually dark and he had no light except for Carmen's flashlight. She doubled back and kept close to them.

"We should stay together. It's safer that way. Everyone grab onto someone and keep close." Lucy practically wrapped herself around Justin. Justin felt for Roxanne, but it seemed like no one was behind him. He looked over his shoulder and the glow of Nosepass's nose was nowhere to be seen.

"Uh Carmen? I think we have a problem…"

**Roxanne's' POV **

She walked into a different cavern in her grief. She would've been hopelessly lost if not for Nosepass's help. The darkness around her was so uncomfortable. It felt like something could grab her at anytime. When she thought of grab, her thoughts went to Ms. Lucy and all her physical contact with Justin previously. She knew that Justin wasn't actually giving her a massage yet she acted like it was the best thing on the world. She was being touched by him. She held him and she flirted around him. She said that she would help her talk to him and maybe even have a chance with him, but whenever she was around him; it was like she couldn't help herself. Her jealousy burned brightly, but she would never dare to challenge Ms. Lucy… She was too horrifying when she was angry. She cursed her weakness. She was never the kind to fight for herself. Whenever other people asked for her homework, she just simply gave it to them. She was worrying if she was becoming a masochist.

No one ever helped her in return. It was always the same wherever she went. She could've threatened them with her vast amounts of connection in Devon Corp. but it wasn't who she was. She truly believed that there was no one that would be good to her other than Steven, but Justin changed that. That one time he helped her with her books was so life-changing for her. It was funny that such a small act of kindness impacted her so much, but it was the little things that counted the most. Ever since he had explained his actions in the Pokemon Center, she couldn't stop thinking about him. She had tried on numerous occasions to try and tell him how she felt, but every time she actually saw him, she couldn't talk. It was if someone were holding her tongue. Whenever she had failed, she would go back to her room and practice what she was going to say in the mirror, but she soon learn that she could not prepare for such a thing like it was a speech.

Infatuation was a completely new thing to her and it perplexed her to no end. Men were supposed to be easy to understand. From what she researched on the internet, she learned that most women thought that men were sloppy and did nothing but drink, eat, and watch sports. She later learned that all the women who had posted those comments were all in an unhappy relationship. Learning how to deal with it from a book wasn't helping her and it made it all the harder for her to grasp the new knowledge. She had to act before it was too late. Justin had been getting close top Skyla the past few days, there are still some threads of attraction attached to Carmen, and Lucy had informed her that there was another girl after him as well. The drink was her last resort, but she had to do it, or else she may lose her one chance to tell him exactly how she feels.

"Nosepass." The rock-type looked at her through its closed eyes. How it knew where it was going was a mystery to even Roxanne. "We're going back." She began to walk back with the aid Nosepass's natural light. Soon she would be back with the group. From her bag, she brought out a small vial of purple liquid and drank it all. The refreshing sweet taste lifted her spirits and now she was ready. Whether Justin accepted her feelings or not, she was going to tell him…

**Justin's POV**

The cavern shook as they ran out of it. He was afraid of a cave in, but the rock structure remained still and sturdy. They were back in the fork in the road and Lucy let go of Justin. It wasn't like her to relinquish her control so easily.

"Oh where are you Roxanne?" Lucy called out into the pitch-black caverns. Her voice echoed for a long while before the tremors started again. Justin clung to a stalagmite for support. There was a deep rumble from within the middle cave and an ear-splitting scream. Despite the tremors, Justin released the stalagmite and snatched the flashlight out of Carmen's hands.

"Wait! Where are you going?" Carmen called out to him but he did not listen. He was too concerned with Roxanne and her safety at the moment. Dust fell from the cave ceiling as did small rocks. Whatever was making these tremors wasn't natural. He shined the flashlight onto a big pile of rocks. He saw Roxanne's ribbon on the ground and he3immediately went to dig her out. Some of the rocks were way too large to move physically.

"Dewott!" The otter Pokemon came out and didn't even need instructions. It began to chop the boulders in half with its Razor Shell. There was a gap in the rock and Justin could see Roxanne on the inside. She was holding onto her Nosepass for dear life. The giant nosed Pokemon was trying its best to return the hug, but its small arms prevented no more than just a light touch on her shoulders. "Roxanne are you okay?" She looked through the gap and smiled. Dirt smudged her cheeks and her tears ran clean lines down her face. She nodded and he went to completely excavate her out of the rock. He pulled a rock loose and the stones above her shuddered ominously.

"Don't move that rock! If you do, the entire thing will fall!"

"Then what do I do?" He paced back and forth, but could find no solution. There was another tremor, but this time it was much larger. A rock the size of Justin's head landed by Roxanne's leg. It missed her by inches, but if another tremor hit, he wouldn't be able to save her. He wasn't going to let her be trapped here. There was no way for her to get out without him and Dewott moving the rocks. Justin slumped against her stone prison and looked intensely at the ground beneath her. There was small protrusion by her and he wondered if there were Pokemon that could help him out…

"Dewott, do you see that lump of dirt right there?" It nodded with complete focus. "Use Water gun on it." He took a step back and let Dewott look through the gap. It fired a fierce jet of water at the lump in the ground and out of it came an agitated Drilbur. It spun out of the ground and stared daggers at Dewott. "Hey Drilbur!" The mole Pokemon gave Justin its undivided attention. Would it listen to him? It was his only shot at saving Roxanne so he had to try. "Drilbur, dig out Roxanne." He pointed at her but the Pokemon didn't respond. He should've known better than to just try and order a wild Pokemon and expect it to listen to him.

"It's okay Justin you tried…" Roxanne looked down. She almost looked like she was resigned to just sitting there and waiting for the rocks to fall. Drilbur turned its head and when it saw Roxanne, it started to dig a hole. Justin thought it was trying to escape, but the hole was as big as a normal sized person. Drilbur's head popped up in front of Justin and looked at him curiously. He looked at Roxanne with a happy smile on his face.

"Come on!" She smiled tenderly. Once she had recalled her Nosepass, she dove into the newly dug hole. Drilbur hopped out of its hole and stood at the side of the hole. Roxanne came out a few seconds later. Her clothes were brown with the earth, but she seemed to be fine.

"Thank you!" She wrapped herself around him so quickly he didn't have time to react. Her hug was tight, it was if she never wanted to let go of him. She usually never hugged him. Whenever they would meet in the halls, she would avoid physical contact with him, but now it looked like she didn't care. His hands rose unsteadily to return the hug. When he wrapped around her, Roxanne relaxed. She just melted with his embrace. "There's something I need to tell you…" Her face was red, but not like all the other times. This time, she looked like she was in control of her feelings.

"What is it?" Before she could utter her next word, there was a violent tremor. The area where she was trapped before completely collapsed. The tremor caused some of the ceiling above them to crumble. Without a second thought, Justin took Roxanne's hand and sprinted off with Dewott right behind him. They were almost out of the tunnel, but Justin turned around to see that the Drilbur that had saved Roxanne was still standing in the same spot. Justin turned to Dewott and just by looking at his partner's eyes; he knew that it understood what he needed to do. He pushed Roxanne to safety and left Dewott there with her. He backtracked and went for Drilbur despite the screams of protest that Roxanne was shouting at him. Multiple rocks were falling now and Drilbur remained planted to the ground; its expression indifferent.

Justin picked up the small mole Pokemon with no protest and ran through the crumbling cave. Everything seemed to be in slow motion. The dust cloud forming over the entrance meant that the ceiling's integrity was failing. The first of the stones began to drop and he knew that it was either life or death that awaited him once he made his choice. There was no time to run through so he jumped as far as he could. The leap took him through the mid-falling rocks and his foot barely missed the onslaught of falling stones. He landed on his back to spare the Drilbur a face plant on the stone surface. The three girls all surrounded him with the gravest concern ion their eyes. Even Lucy was worried. Carmen took Drilbur from him and Roxanne propped him up against the stone wall. His body felt weak and his vision was starting to become fuzzy. The adrenaline was dying down and it was taking a toll on him. His eyes wouldn't stay open. The coldness of the cave felt so much more intense but something warm wrapped around him. He opened his eyes barely to see Roxanne holding him. Tears streamed down her face as she held him.

"Don't ever do that again…" He chuckled softly at her concern. "I don't want you to leave until I tell you what I want to say." Her hold tightened. "No… That's wrong of me to be so selfish… Promise me this…" She paused to think of what to say. "Promise me that you'll be there when I'm ready to tell you what I need to." He felt so tired that talking seemed near impossible, but he somehow found the words.

"I….Promise…" She never let go of him, even when she was asleep. All of today's events must've overwhelmed her, to which Justin was not surprised. Carmen and Lucy were busy putting things away, but they never bothered the two of them. It was so strange for Justin to promise such a thing since he already knew what she was going to say to him. However, he knew that she would never rest easy if he declined. There was a small tremor this time. It was no where near to the intensity of the earlier ones but there was something else that Justin could hear. After the tremor ended, there was another sound. It sounded feral, angry, and nightmarish. He focused on the sound and when it happened again, Justin's body went cold. The sound was a roar, but after the roar came a small tremor. Whatever was out there, it was causing the tremors. Not with a stomp of a foot or anything like that, but with a roar. Fear pulled at his stomach for what lied ahead of them. This was it. They were marching right into that creature's clutches. Justin had just figured out the reason why no one came out of this cave…

**OMG! CAVE MONSTER AND OH SWEET LOVE! Thanks for reading guys and don't forget to review! I'm going to start something new and that is going to be the question of the day! So here's the FIRST EVAH QUESTION OF THE DAY! **

**Why do you think Justin x Roxanne was the most chosen on the polls? **

**I'm curious to know about the popularity of Justin x Roxanne as being the shipping of choice. Leave your answer to the question in your review or you can make your answer a review OR you could PM me it as well! The writer who I think has the best answer will have their answer displayed on the next update and I'll be sure to give you a shout-out as well! That's it for news guys! Check in on Wednesday and check out Legacy if you haven't already because I think that it's going to be really amazing! **

**-N-Black, Out**


	18. Chapter 18

**N-Black is back with a new chapter and the conclusion of the Cavern of the Abyss! Our little exploring party hit a snag in the road, but there not out of the woods, er, cave! Yeah that's right cave… That's beside the point. Here are the results for the poll last week!**

** Do You Like the Question of the Day?**

** It's 'aight: 2 **

** And all the rest are big fat ZEROES! So it looks like the questions will continue and here's the person with the best answer! Drumroll Please! It's….. thetimewalker2237! A reader who came in the middle of the story, but has shown that they're an avid reviewer and story collaborator! Numerous ideas posted in their reviews have really helped me establish some key points *cough* berry juice…. Thanks for hanging with the story and helping out t-walker! All right let's get this story on the road!**

** Chapter 18: The Cavern of the Abyss: Part 3**

Justin saw light at the end of the tunnel.

"Hurry you guys! I see an exit!" They were so close to civilization now. Soon they would be free of the underground prison. He ran with the awkward Drilbur in his arms. It refused to leave his side after the cave in and he was too much of a softie to let it stay in the cave. He had lost track of how long they were underground. The roaring of the cave monster was close now. He picked up the pace and checked behind him to see if the girls were behind him. They were keeping up alright, especially Carmen. She met up with him in a few seconds but Roxanne and Lucy were growing tired.

He heard a loud crash from far beyond their position. Whatever the cave monster was, it wasn't happy. He had seen just a trace of it earlier while they were walking. The large green appendage was what made them run in the first place. The light was brighter now and Justin could smell the fresh smell of the forest. The cave must have connected to the Pokémon Refuge. Carmen and Justin made it out of the cave first with the other two coming right after them. Every one of them fell to the ground panting with exertion. The sun warmed his face, but he couldn't stand to look around. The constant darkness of the cave made the sun's light extremely harsh.

Though he wasn't looking around, the cawing of bird Pokémon meant that they were out of the cave. Slowly, his eyes readjusted to the sun and he looked around. The area they were in was small, but was dense with plant life. Various flowers and berries were seen in the bushes and the fresh smell of the leaves traveled through the air. He had never truly appreciated the beauty of the surface world and couldn't fathom how Pokémon like Drilbur could stand to live in caves where there was no light and no plants. He was the first to get up and start looking around the area they were in. The area was unfamiliar to Justin so he treaded carefully. The leaves and fallen twigs of the trees around him snapped and cracked under his feet as he trudged through the forest floor. He made it to the other side and he started to see rock more and more as he continued.

"**No way.**" He rushed through the shrubs an soon the plant life diminished and his worst feeling was confirmed. Once he made it to the other side, he saw another cave mouth, and no other exit. There was one glimmer of hope though. The cave had moss in it and he spotted rays of light farther ahead it. Perhaps they weren't going to be under the earth this time. He hated to be the bearer of bad news, but he had to tell the others of his findings. As he went back, he kicked up a pile of leaves in frustration. He looked down and noticed something. There was an object buried underneath the leaves. Justin brushed aside the excess debris and revealed a familiar looking jacket. It was a dark blue color with thin red material at the seams. One person flared into his mind when he saw it.

"**Volcano Head." **He retrieved the jacket and ran back to the girls, dirt flying up as he traveled. "Guys, I found something!" He raised the jacket, but none of them seemed to recognize it.

"You found that here?" Carmen asked. There was a hint of worry in her voice.

"Yeah, but I know who it belongs to." They looked at him in anticipation. "It belongs to Silver, but I'm pretty sure you guys don't know him." From the reactions he got, it appeared that he was right that they didn't know who Silver was. "I've overheard conversations in the staff room. They said that he went missing last weekend, but I had no idea where he was." He looked at the jacket with fear. Silver was a jerk, but people can change. He wished that Silver got a second chance at bonding with his Pokémon and changing how he felt, but if he was in danger, none of that could be accomplished. "You know else what I found? Another cave entrance." There was a groan from Lucy and Roxanne placed her head in her hands. Carmen 's face lit up when he said he found another entrance.

"Really? There's another entrance?"

"Yup. It sucks doesn't it?" From how excited she looked, it obviously didn't suck. "Why are you so happy? We almost died in the other one!" She smiled and pulled out a folded piece of aged paper from her back pocket.

"Remember how I told you that there were rare gems and treasure down in the cave?"

"Yeah, we haven't found any yet."

"Exactly! That means that the valuables are in the cave you saw." He let her words register in his mind. Finding the gems would make him rich. Getting out of the cave alive would make him famous. Not only that, but if he found Silver and rescued him, that would make him a hero. Maybe people would come to respect him for all that… No! The thought of having vast sums of wealth wasn't like him and being famous? Becoming a hero? He didn't want to earn respect for something like that. Helping Silver was the right thing to do and he was thinking of doing it simply because of his own greedy needs. The whole thing about getting respect for being famous or having money was completely out of character. Never in his whole life has he wanted respect from people because he owned something or did something cool. He wanted to earn respect through his kindness to others and vice versa.

There was an old saying his Trainer School teacher said about respect. His teacher had said that respect is treating other people how you want to be treated. Gaining respect through fame and fortune wasn't what he was about.

"Carmen, what's so important about these gems that made you risk your-no-our lives for them?" The question seemed to sting a little. She didn't answer right away and remained silent. She fiddled with the piece of paper in her hands and spoke softly.

"Justin… you wouldn't understand-no-you would refuse to understand if I told you." Her retort was soft, but hurt him. He thought that they could trust each other with these kinds of things. The girl he liked to spend time with wasn't standing in front of him at the moment. It was someone he didn't know, someone who didn't trust him.

"Why? Why do you think that? You know me better than that! I trust you, so why can't you trust me?" Justin was seething with frustration. Carmen took his hand and opened it. She placed the folded paper in his hand gently, as if it were a baby Pidgey.

"I-I'm sorry… I just can't…" She walked away from him and gathered her things for the trip into the cave. "You didn't have to come into this cave with me you know. You could've just stayed. What's worse is that you dragged Roxanne into this whole mess too and do you really expect Lucy to remain quiet about this little adventure?" She sounded bitter, but he could detect sadness in her voice when she spoke. Carmen slung her pack onto her shoulder and walked ahead.

"Where do you think you're going?" Justin shouted.

"I'm going by myself. You made it perfectly obvious you don't want to continue." Roxanne walked to him and looked at Carmen.

"What do you think about this Roxanne?" She held her Nosepass's Pokéball in her hands tenderly.

"I don't know… but one thing I am certain about is that she is hurting inside." He put the paper in his jacket pocket and exhaled.

"You bet she is!" Lucy slunk behind him, but for the first time since he met her, she respected hi personal space. She made no attempt to hold him or anything. Lucy had a serious look about her and the playful, albeit perverted side of her was gone for the moment. Lucy seemed to know more than she let on. He looked back at where Carmen was walking, but she wasn't visible through the brush. As much as Carmen had angered him, he didn't want her to disappear like Silver.

"We should follow her before she gets too far in the cave." The other two silently nodded and they hurried along to the cave mouth. Justin felt a desire burn inside of him. He was going to get those two to safety. He skidded to a halt when he remembered that Drilbur was behind him and wasn't moving. He could've mistaken him for a Pokédoll. The other two stopped but he motioned for them to move on. Justin approached the odd Drilbur and crouched down to talk to it. "You really want to come don't you?" The mole Pokémon nodded sharply in response. Justin contemplated the risks of bringing the little guy. If something required a quick reaction, he would be slowed down by Drilbur. There was only one way for him to keep the Pokémon safe. "Well… it couldn't hurt." From his belt, he grabbed an empty red and white Pokéball.

Drilbur looked at the device with curiosity.

"Alright, listen up." The Pokémon's attention shifted to Justin. "You'll stay with me until we find a safe place for you to stay, so you have to stay in here, understand?" As usual, it gave him a blank face. Justin sighed. "This is so not worth the time…" He whispered. There was a click and the unmistakable sound of the Pokéball opening. By the time he looked back at the ball, it was rocking back and forth. The motion stopped and the ball clicked to confirm the capture. Looks like Drilbur got too close to the ball. Justin hooked the ball to his belt and set off for the cave before the other girls were too far ahead of him.

They were by the entrance when he got to the cave mouth.

"There you are! What did you do?" Roxanne asked curiously. "Where's Drilbur?" Justin unhooked Drilbur's ball and showed it to them.

"It's in here for the time being… let's go!" The three of them wasted no time in barreling down the cave. Beams of light shot through the holes in the cave and the moss below their feet left footprints. These tracks made it easy to find where Carmen was going, but there was another pair of older footsteps still imprinted. Justin decided that those were Silver's and if they followed the trail, maybe they would find him. From far ahead of them, Justin could hear the sound of water dripping into a lake. The sound echoed through the cave and got louder as they continued. As they kept going, the footsteps separated. The older tracks went to the left and Carmen's fresh tracks went right.

"Which way do we go?" He wanted to get both of them, but he couldn't afford to waste any time.

"I'll go after Silver, you two go for Carmen."

"No way! You are not separating from us!"

"I have to." He didn't like leaving the girl's alone, but it had to be done if he wanted to find both Silver and Carmen. "We'll meet up here after we find them. I'll see you soon." With those last words, Justin followed the faded tracks. The sound of the dripping water rose in intensity. Soon the moss disappeared and was replaced by rocky cave floor. His footsteps echoed just as loud as the body of water. "HEY SILVER!" His call bounced around the cavern multiple times. A group of Zubat fluttered away, squeaking in fear of the new presence. By the time the echo died down, Justin still didn't hear a reply. Cautiously, he continued forward. The main cavern was empty and the only light came from a few beams of sunlight through the cracks.

The body of water was clear now and it was a cave lake. A single drop of water splashed onto the surface from a stalactite above the lake. The once calm water rippled in disturbance from the pea sized drop. There was something more to the lake than what was on the surface. He approached the water's edge and looked through the water. It was clear for a while, but it got muddy and dark farther ahead, it was a clear signal that the lake was deep, but how deep was another question. Something urged him to explore the inner chamber, but he returned his thoughts to finding Volcano Head. When he walked away from the edge of the water, he almost felt reluctant to move away. Justin walked around the lake in its entirety, but there was nothing interesting about it other than the fact that there was more to the lake. There were no more pathways except the one back to the mossy part of the cave. This is where the tracks lead him, but there was no sign of Silver anywhere. There was only one place left to explore… the lake. His heart raced with unexpected excitement, but there was also trepidation in his thoughts.

"Dewott!" He called out the otter Pokémon. Its head was on a swivel. It checked its surroundings quickly and relaxed when there was no sign of danger. "Can you dive underneath and check out the lake?" His partner's confident grin appeared and it rushed to the water. Not a moment after its feet touched the water it stopped dead in its tracks. It looked as if something stopped it from entering the water. "Dewott?" It came back with a worried expression in its face. "What's up with this lake?" He returned Dewott and walked to the edge of the water. He crouched and ran his hands over the surface. It felt fine and it didn't seem to have anything wrong with it. "Guess I'll have to see this for myself."

He removed his jacket, shirt, shoes, and socks, but left his pants on. They had taken such a beating from the cavern that it didn't matter if they were wet. With a gulp of air, he dove beneath the surface of the water. The water was cool and clear. There wasn't much he could see as he got deeper into the lake. Justin continued to go deeper down and it felt like it wasn't going to end. The water got colder and colder as he descended and he was running low on air. He made the safe choice and started to paddle up to get air, but a dim orange light stopped him. It seemed to be coming from just a little farther ahead. With all the speed he could muster, he swam towards the light source. Even though the lake was dark, he could make out the outline of a tunnel where the light was coming from.

His lungs were contracting from the lack of oxygen and right before he let go of his breath, his head popped out into the open air. Justin took several long breaths to recover from the submersion. After he recovered his breath, Justin noticed that the glow was coming from just a little farther ahead. The orange light lit up the cave wall ominously. As he got closer, a new sound emerged. It was a crackling sound… perhaps fire?" Justin put his head slightly below the surface to remain hidden when he rounded the corner up ahead.

Justin moved his head around the corner to just barely see around it. There was a fire going, but what intrigued him more was the shadow cast by the flames. Whatever was there, it appeared to be lying down. He moved around the corner as quietly as he could. The gentle patter of his swimming was the only noise other than the crackling of the fire. The shadowy figure shifted and Justin halted all his movement. It began to rise slowly. The shadow was painted onto the wall behind it courtesy of the fire. Whatever was sleeping there was massive. The grotto it was in had to be at least twelve feet high and it towered at about ten feet.

The figure began to move towards the water's edge. Justin wanted to be anywhere but where he was at the moment. The figure came into view and it turns out that it was just a person. Justin breathed a sigh of relief. With all the events beforehand, he believed that he had the right to be paranoid of things in caves. He inspected the person closer and realized that they had vibrant red hair.

"SILVER!" The red head jumped, obviously startled by the appearance of another person. Justin swam ashore and Silver looked at him with pure shock in his eyes. Since the last time he had seen him, Silver had gotten thin. He had dark circles under his eyes and his hair was out of place.

"What the Giratina are you doing here?"

"Isn't it obvious? To rescue your sorry ass!" Silver shook his head and walked away slowly. "Aren't you happy? You can go back to the academy!" The boy sat down on the hard rock floor with a blank face. "Did… Did you run away from the academy?" Silver looked up at him and nodded.

"I did run… but I never intended to be gone this long. I ran into… complications." So he did run away.

"Why'd you run?" With a grunt, he pointed at Justin accusingly. His gray eyes burned like the fire that lit up the cavern.

"Because of you and that Carlos guy…"

"What did we do?"

"The second day at the academy… when Carlos… beat me…." The last words came out forcefully. It seemed that Silver was still having trouble coming to terms with his loss, "I decided I would stay away from the academy and train at the Pokémon Refuge. I swore I wouldn't return until I was strong enough to get my revenge." Justin stared at Silver with comprehension. So that's why the staff got reports of him from the rangers in the forest. "I heard that the restricted zone had some of the toughest Pokémon on the island so I decided it was the perfect place to train." Silver took a breath and continued. "That's when I found this series of caves and grottos. It was peaceful at first and it gave me an opportunity to train in solitude."

"So what was the complication?" The rest of the color drained from Silver's face.

"I had a run in with some kind of… monster." This last part got Justin's attention.

"M-Monster? What did it look like?"

"I'm not sure… all I saw was the eye, but what came afterwards was the worst… it roared and the whole tunnel collapsed. I ended up getting trapped in here so walked through the rest of the grottos until I found this place, but it looks like a dead end with the water… at least that's what I thought till you came out of the pool."

"We've been through similar circumstances on the way down here." Silver's eyes lit up.

"We?"

"Uh, yeah, it's me, a new girl you don't know named Carmen, Roxanne, and the counselor Lucy." Silver raised an eyebrow suspiciously.

"You came down here with three girls? What were you doing?"

"Well Carmen said that there were valuable gems down here and-" Silver put a hand up to stop him.

"I meant what were you doing with the girls." Justin didn't understand the question right away, but then he realized what he meant.

** "**WHAT?! Why would you think that?"

"Hey, come on! One guy goes into a cave with three girls just seems like a mess waiting to happen."

"Well none of that happened!" Silver rolled his eyes and stood up.

"Whatever… your business is your business. Anyways… why don't you show the way out?" Justin felt like slapping Silver for assuming such a thing, but no that he thought about it, it was hard not to see that happening… especially with Lucy around.

"Follow me." Silver put out the fire and spat on the ground. He was obviously happy to get out of the cave. "Ready?"

"Of course I am!" They both went under the water and Justin retraced his path. Silver was right behind him the whole way. The darkness of the lake was soon behind them and the faint glow of sunlight hit the lake's surface. Silver passed him and when Justin was out of the water, Silver was looking through the cracks in the cave to see the sunlight. "I'm… out… I'M OUT!"

"Yeah, thanks to me." Silver was too busy celebrating to himself to notice the comment. "Let's get going, I promised I would meet up with the others and here." He tossed Silver's jacket to him and he caught it. He dug inside the pockets and pulled out a Pokéball. He held it close to him and for the first time since he knew Silver, he appeared to care about his Pokémon. Justin noticed several other lumps in the jacket and assumed that the rest of his Pokémon were inside the jacket as well. Through all the training and the loneliness he endured, it seemed he finally appreciated his Pokémon.

Justin retrieved his clothes and suited up. He felt the paper in his jacket crinkle. With curiosity, he pulled out the folded piece of paper. He had been too mad at Carmen to open it before, but now he felt like he could do anything. He tenderly opened the paper to see that it was a map of the area. The small grove they entered as the first part of the map and farther way in the direction Carmen traveled to, there was a red mark. Had she given him the map so that he could find her? With a nod of his head, Silver and Justin walked back through the cave and towards the girls. He glanced at the map as they walked and saw that the destination Carmen had in mind wasn't that far away from the exit of he cave.

"Let's pick up the pace."

"You may have gotten me out of that damn grotto… but don't think that I'm going to let you order me around!" Regardless of what he had said, Silver started to run anyways. The light of the outside was visible now.

"There's the exit! Let's-" Justin was drowned out by the earthshaking roar of the cave monster. Both of them stopped and Silver started to back away. "It sounds like its right outside the cave…" A feeling of dread crept over Justin. What happened to the girls? He noticed that Silver was planted firmly to the spot and made no intention of moving. "Silver." The boy's gray eyes held pure fear in them. "Come on." Silver blinked a few times and started to move ahead, but with obvious fear in each step. Justin wasn't as shaken as Silver, but he was still quite afraid if what lied ahead of them.

The two of them walked out slowly and hid behind a large tree. Justin was the first to look ahead. The monstrous tail that he saw was clearly visible and very close. He ducked own and prowled towards the next tree. He motioned for Silver to come forward and he managed to move without being detected. They repeated the process until they were close to yet another cave entrance. It seemed this whole place was connected by a system of caves and groves. Justin chanced another look at the monster that was in the clearing. It was green with a series of spikes trailing its back. The hide of the monster looked familiar to Justin, but he didn't want to stick around to have it see him. His immediate thoughts were broken by a rock falling by his foot.

He looked to find the person who threw it and noticed Roxanne peering out of the cave. She silently called him over to the cave. Justin and Silver crept over to the cave mouth without disturbing the hulking creature.

"You're okay!" Roxanne said with relief.

"Yeah and I found Silver." When Roxanne saw how Silver looked, she stifled a gasp.

"Oh my… how long have you been down here?" Silver brushed some of his hair out of his eyes.

"Long enough." He ended with a hint of finality that Roxanne caught.

"Where are Lucy and Carmen?"

"Lucy is resting in the cave… whatever is out there saw her and nearly got her. It's been waiting outside for her to come back out no doubt. As for Carmen… we don't know, but we're pretty sure that she's deeper in the cave."

"Okay thanks. You should rest up here Silver."

"Didn't I already say that I don't take orders from you?" Justin shot him a cocky grin and went in the cave to find Carmen. As he continued through yet another cave, he noticed that small crystals were forming in the rock and as he continued, the crystals grew larger in size. They refracted the tiniest beams of light that came through the cave and shined the patterns onto the walls. He eventually came into a chamber that was completely surrounded by these crystal formations and saw Carmen crouched low to the ground; her brow was moist with sweat. She was running her hands over the crystals and appeared to be looking for something. His foot kicked a pebble and the tap it made as it skidded across the ground made Carmen turn and look at him.

"J-Justin? You followed me?" He walked over to her slowly. Her face was covered in the small lights made by the crystals. They made her glow and even though they had grown apart over the last week, he still found her to be beautiful.

"Of course! I wouldn't leave you here." She smiled slightly when he said that. He glanced at the crystals and noticed in the walls that there were other colored stones inside of them. They all gleamed in the light and Justin immediately knew that the rocks were worth serious money. He'd be a fool for passing up on the opportunity to grab some. His old thought of having lots of money came back to him. He came up with a different plan for the rocks. "These are the gems you talked about?"

"Yes. This is what I came for." He plucked a sapphire out of the wall. It was cloudy and hardly shiny. He would have to get it polished for it to be worth using. "I'm looking for one in particular though. Could you help me find it?" Justin was busy pulling out the small gems, but still answered.

"Yeah… what does it look like?"

"I can't really describe it since I've never seen it, but I heard that it's like unlike any gemstone ever found."

"Sounds interesting… wait I have an idea." Justin called out Drilbur from his Pokéball. It looked around at the gemstones with wonder. "Drilbur, drill around the ground and see if you can find gems that look like this." He opened his palm and showed Drilbur the sapphire, amber, amethysts, and rubies he had found, "Get plenty alright?"

"Dril!" It began to dig with its large claws and Justin searched for the gem Carmen wanted. There was nothing breathtaking in the wall so it was either in the ground or in the wall and out of sight. He inspected the large crystal that grew in the center of the room. He could see Carmen in the crystal. She was busy sifting through the wall for her gem. As he looked at her from the crystal, he noticed something else. There was something trapped in a gap between the crystal formation. He had only noticed it when Carmen blocked the glare of the light. Justin maneuvered his hand through the crevices in the crystal carefully to avoid cutting himself on the sharp edges. His hand grabbed the object and he pulled it out. It was round and about the size of a Pokéball. What was really impressive about the rock was that it looked like it contained white and black smoke inside of it. The surface of the gem was smooth like glass and the sight was mesmerizing. Justin figured out that this was probably what Carmen was looking for.

"Hey Carm-" The roar of the monster outside cut across the cavern and shook the room of crystals dangerously. Carmen turned to him and said,

"We should get out of here."

"Agreed. Drilbur!" He called down the hole the Pokémon dug and its white snout came out. It hopped out of the hole and had in its claws an abundance of the gems. "W-Wow! You got… well… plenty!" The Pokémon nodded in reply. "Let's go Drilbur." He placed the two handfuls of precious stones and the dubious rock in his jacket pockets and returned Drilbur to his ball. The two of them went out of th crystal room and met up with the other three.

"That monster's getting impatient!" Lucy said.

"We have to go outside so we don't get caved in." Lucy shook her head in protest.

"That's not happening! I'd rather be caved in than out there by that monster!"

"It's either die for sure in here or have the possibility to get out of this place alive!"

"What're our chances of living?!" Lucy sounded hysterical.

"We need to go! Come on." Silver, Carmen, and Roxanne followed him quickly and Lucy eventually joined them.

"Great, now we're outside…" The monster began to stamp its feet and the found beneath them shook. Another earsplitting roar came from the beast.

"How're we going to get out of here?" Roxanne asked. She looked uneasy and her cheeks were flushed. Was she getting sick from all the exertion? Justin saw the clawed feet of the beast and thought the same thing.

"Don't worry… we'll be fine… just follow me." He lied about the okay part, but he had to keep morale up. Justin stalked off into the brush slowly. He kept going and going and so far he was doing well. However, he didn't notice the stray branch that was caught on his jacket. As he kept going, the branch bended and snapped and the sound echoed through the silent grove. He cringed and the monster roared with such fierce, a Gyarados would run away. The tree above him was falling, as were most of the trees that covered them. They fell with a thunderous crash and when Justin looked up; he saw the full body of the monster.

The green armor of Tyranitar was unmistakable now, but the thing that sacred him was that this Tyranitar was massive. The normal size of Tyrabitar was about 6'6, but this one was double the height and then some. It gave out a primal bellow and the yellow energy of a Hyper Beam began to charge in its mouth.

"Shuckle use Protect!" The small bug-type appeared out of nowhere and it surrounded the group with a green translucent shield. Justin looked over at the Shuckle's trainer and saw that it was none other than Lucy's. The Tyranitar let loose with the attack and the barrier of energy barely blocked the attack. Shuckle let the field drop and Justin saw the destruction the attack caused. The areas that weren't covered by Protect were scorched. "Hurry! We need to move now while it's recharging!" Lucy picked up her Shuckle and sprinted ahead. Justin and the others were right behind her. Justin looked speedily at the Tyranitar and it was immobilized from the attack. The exit was so close to them…

The monster Tyranitar hit the surface above the exit and rocks fell to block their escape. They were sitting ducks now.

"Absol!" A white furred Pokémon with dark blue skin, scythe-like tail, clawed feet, and a curved horn at the side of its head was running towards the Tyranitar. "Use Megahorn!" The Absol Hit the Tyranitar with its glowing horn and the beast staggered, but quickly shook off the attack. The Pokémon rushed to Carmen and Justin realized that it was her Absol.

"I won't let a girl show me up! Croconaw, show them what you can do!" Silver sent out his Croconaw and it seemed a lot stronger than the last time Justin saw it. "Hydro Pump!" From its massive jaws, Croconaw blasted a torrent of water at the giant. The blast struck the giant in the face and it was momentarily blinded.

"Absol use Night Slash!" The Pokémon's claws were darkening and it disappeared only to reappear and slash the armor of the Tyranitar. The attack left no visible imprint on the Tyranitar and Croconaw's Hydro Pump had diminished.

"The attacks aren't doing anything!" Silver exclaimed

"One of us needs to work on the roadblock!" Justin said.

"I'll do it!" Roxanne said, "My Graveler can pull the rocks out." Roxanne called out the rock-type and went to work on the rockslide.

"In the meantime, we need to hold off this thing! Dewott!" Dewott appeared out of the falsh of light and sized u the Tyranitar. "When you see an opening, use Razor Shell!" The Tyranitar was charging up another Hyper Beam and in a flash, Dewottt used Aqua jet to close in quickly and reach the Tyranitar's face. Even the Tyranitar looked surprised. Dewott's seashells flashed and the Tyranitar howled in pain. It seemed like Dewott hit a chink in the armor. Dewott sped back to Justin and Carmen and Silver had their Pokémon at the ready. "Lucy, aren't you going to fight too?"

"Shuckle doesn't have any attacking moves. I'll keep you and Roxanne protected." That actually sounded better. If that Tyrantitar went in for a physical attack, they would be squashed without Protect.

"Roxanne how's that rockslide coming?" Justin asked.

"We need more time!" That was something they didn't have at the moment.

"I don't see an easy way out of this one guys…" Carmen said. She was trembling as was Silver. Justin noticed that the Pokémon were as well. "There isn't a path out of here." Justin smirked.

"Well… I guess we'll just have to make one!" Justin felt strangely excited about facing the Tyranitar even though their chances of winning were slim to none. Adrenaline pumped through him, heightening his senses. Everything slowed down and Justin was in his own world. He saw a mirage of the Tyranitar about to crush them with its massive fist. Time sped up and Justin saw the Tyranitar was about to move. The way it shifted its weight was exactly how he had seen it in the mirage. "Lucy, tell Shuckle to use Protect!"

She nodded and gave the order to the yellow bodied Pokémon. It retreated in its red and white shell and the green barrier surrounded the entire group. Tyranitar's fist was coming straight towards them. The giant's attack bounced off the shield and staggered it.

"Dewott, use Fury Cutter!" Its seashells glinted in the light maliciously. With propulsion from Aqua Jet, it landed on the Tyranitar's shoulder and hacked at the armored hide. At first, the blows did nothing, but after a few more strikes, a scratch appeared in the hide. The Tyranitar howled in discomfort. The attack may have started off weak, but with each successive strike, Fury Cutter got stronger. It thrashed and crashed into several trees, knocking them down. Dewott retreated off of the Tyranitar before it could cause more damage.

"Nothing's working!" Said Silver. He was right. All their efforts were in vain because of the Tyranitar's sheer size.

"Roxanne how's the wall coming?" Justin called.

She shook her head and kept working. "The inner part of cave collapsed as well… I don't know how long this is going to take!" So they were stuck fighting a battle they couldn't win. The monster Tyranitar charged up another Hyper Beam.

"Lucy?"

"Shuckle doesn't have enough energy to block another attack from that thing."

"We have to interrupt it somehow…" Carmen said as she reached for a Pokéball. "Froslass!" A Pokémon with a white and blue dress-like body and a red ribbon around its waist hovered above the ground. Absol retreated behind its trainer and now Froslass's sad yellow eyes stared at the Tyranitar. "Ice Beam!" A ball of white energy formed in front of the Pokémon's hands and a beam of cold energy shot through the air. The beam hit the Tyranitar's mouth and filled it with ice.

"Nice!" Justin yelled.

"It won't hold." Carmen said gloomily. "It'll slow it down, but it won't hold. We need to help Roxanne with the rockslide." Silver raised his hand with a smug grin.

"I have an idea to speed up the process…" He ran over to the rockslide and left him to help out. Justin heard the muffled roar of the Tyranitar attempting to break the ice. Some of the ice fell from its mouth and soon the rest cracked and fell. The full force of its cry was heard. Freezing its mouth with ice obviously enraged it as it now charged ahead at them with its large fangs bared.

"Froslass use Ice Beam on its feet!" The floating Pokémon launched another barrage of cold energy and froze the titan's feet to the ground. It soon realized it was stuck and began to charge up a devastating Hyper Beam. In a split second, its mouth was frozen shut by Froslass yet again.

"Nice one." Carmen gave Justin a smirk.

"That should keep it in place for a little bit, let's work on that wall." Carmen, Justin, Dewott, and Absol left Froslass to keep watch on the Tyranitar to keep it frozen in place. Lucy and Roxanne were a good few feet away from the wall and Silver was standing in front of it with a Magneton.

"You guys should stay back with them… I got this…" A sinister grin filled his face as he shouted the order at Magneton. "Zap Cannon!" From the three magnetic units, they charged a brilliant ball of light and launched it at the rocks. Dust and rubble flew at them from the explosion, but once the dust settled, the path to the cave was clear.

Justin ran to Silver and slapped him on the back. "You did it!" Even though he was holding his back in pain, he still managed to put a smile on his face. "Let's go befo-" Froslass hovered to their position with wide eyes. Its cry sounded quite… creepy and by the way it was gesturing with its hands, it appeared that Tyranitar was getting loose. A few trees fell from the shaking of Tyranitar's tail and a large one flew right at them. "GET DOWN!" He managed to pull Silver down just in time, but his Magneton was hit by the tree.

"NO!" Silver broke free of Justin and ran to Magneton. Its steel body was scratched and it was unconscious, but it seemed to be fine for the most part.

"Silver get back here!" Tyranitar was right over Silver and Magneton and they were out of Justin's reach. It bellowed horribly, but Justin could detect triumph in its voice. It was if it was happy that it finally had one of them in a corner. It raised an armored foot over them, but Silver blocked the way to Magneton. He was trying to protect it even though it was pointless to do so. Before the foot hit the ground, a screech echoed through the clearing. Tyranitar looked up and set its foot down to the side of Silver and Magneton. Something had caught its attention. Justin squinted into the sky where the sound seemed to come from. There was a small black speck speedily approaching their position. "**A bird Pokémon?" **

It got closer and soon there was second black speck falling down. It came in fast and like a meteor, crashed into Tyranitar. The hulking Pokémon stumbled backwards and eventually fell to the ground. The ground shook dangerously with the impact. Smoke rose from where Tyranitar was hit and from it came a round figure. Out of the smoke came an Emboar. Its flaming beard was bright and its body was smoking from the collision with Tyranitar.

"Who's Emboar is that and more imporatantly… how did it get in the air?" Justin asked. His question was quickly answered by the flapping of wings overhead. A Braviary landed in front of them. Its red and blue wings were spread imposingly and a person came off its back. He was lean and tall and had brown hair that looked similar to… "Trent!" The elder trainer's face was hard and unreadable; his demeanor was not that of an old friend, but of a strong trainer.

"Are you all alright?" They all nodded, awe-struck by his dramatic appearance. "Good." He looked over to the Tyranitar and sighed.

"How'd you find us? Justin asked. Trent raised a hand to stop him.

"It's still not down…" Sure enough, the Tyranitar got to one knee. A fresh scorch mark was on its chest.

"You've got to be kidding! What's it going to take to keep this thing down?" Justin was livid at the moment. He felt much more confident with Trent helping them, but he couldn't be too sure. Trent didn't give it a chance to stand back up.

"Emboar use Hammer Arm!" The Fire Pig raised a glowing fist and hit the Tyranitar with the force of a freight train. The blow sent the Pokémon reeling, but didn't knock it out. "Braviary use Superpower!" The eagle took off with a mighty gust of wind and dived at the Tyranitar, its body aglow with power. The second hit caused it to hold Tyranitar to hold itself up. "Still not enough… we can't fight this thing, get the other boy and let's leave this place!" He didn't have to tell them twice. Carmen got Roxanne and Lucy into the cave with Froslass and her Absol right behind her. Justin made a dash for Silver, but was cut off by the falling of yet another tree.

"Damn it!" He couldn't climb over it so he needed help from his Pokémon. "Eevee!" The small brown Pokémon appeared and Justin gave it instructions. "I need you to hop over the tree and get Silver. The others and I are going to handle the tree." It nodded and Justin lifted it so it could get onto the top of the tree. Eevee disappeared over the trunk and Justin sent out Scyther, Drilbur and Gligar. "Cut that tree down!" The three others and Dewott went to work, hacking and slashing through the bark to clear the way for Eevee and Silver.

Dewott and the others were working efficiently and Trent's team was holding off the Tyranitar well. Emboar was launching Flamethrowers to keep it in place while Braviary circled it, hitting hard then escaping quickly.

"Wott!" Dewott got his attention and when he looked, Justin saw that the tree was cut up enough for Silver and Eevee to get through.

"Good work. Return." After recalling the rest of the team, he hopped over the decimated tree and helped Silver up and he returned his Magneton.

"T-Thanks…"

"Don't mention it." He pushed Silver over the tree trunk and he ran to the cave. He helped Eevee up next, but a roar made him turn his head. The Tyranitar had a fully charged Hyper Beam ready to hit Braviary. It let loose the attack and Braviary dodged and weaved around it, but Tyranitar didn't give up. It followed Braviary until the blast was near Justin. Without thinking, he pushed Eevee over the trunk without climbing over it first. The beam stopped where a few feet away from him, but the force threw him back. He hit a bent tree hard and crumpled to the ground…

His vision was foggy and the world around him was distorted. A dark shape that resembled Eevee ran towards him. There was noise, but he couldn't distinguish where it was coming from. His hearing and vision started to become clearer and it was the yipping of his Eevee that he heard. The Pokémon's ears were folded back like it was sad. He couldn't move his arm to reach out to it and Eevee's body froze and it started to snarl. It ran out towards the clearing to where Tyranitar was.

"W-wait…" With whatever strength he could muster, he crawled to see the clearing and Eevee. Both Emboar and Braviary were at Trent's side and they both looked exhausted from stalling the Tyranitar. The small furry shape of Eevee came in front of the Tyranitar and it barked as loud as it could. "No…" The Tyranitar looked down and disregarded Eevee. This only seemed to make Eevee angrier. Eevee went to Tyranitar's feet and started to chew on them, but the large Pokémon didn't notice it. Justin sweat dropped at the sight.

Tyranitar seemed to grow tired of the nuisance at its feet and tossed Eevee off with a flick of its ankle. Justin's Pokémon tumbled on the ground, but got back up. Its ears were upright signaling it was aggressive. Suddenly, a strange sight started to happen. Eevee's body began to sparkle in the sun. Its body seemed to be glowing lightly. The sensation made Eevee look at itself in surprise. Its whole body was shrouded in a harsh light. The light grew brighter than it started to disperse into the sky slowly. Where Eevee once stood, a new Pokémon took its place. As the light hovered off of it, a lilac colored tail with two tips became visible. The new Pokémon's body was slightly bigger, but its appearances were completely different. The whole body was the same lilac color and the ears were large. Two long tufts of fur fell below them. It had purple eyes with white irises, but no pupils. At its forehead was a small red jewel.

"Espe!" Justin's Eevee had just evolved into an Espeon, but even with the evolution, it still didn't stand a chance. Its two-pronged tail twitched with anticipation. Tyranitar seemed to take in an interest in Espeon and went after it with a roar. Espeon's purple eyes glowed blue and a barrier formed around it. Tyranitar punched downward but the attack bounced off and hit Tyranitar instead. It staggered and charged up a Hyper Beam. Trent watched from afar with a smile on his face. How could he be happy at a time like this? The deadly blast hit Espeon but it bounced it off the barrier it created. The Hyper Beam struck Tyranitar and a long scorch mark appeared on its chest next to the one Emboar created.

It was incredible sight to see such a large Pokémon being bested by something as small as an Espeon. Tyranitar's roar sounded feeble, but it charged yet again. Espeon dropped its barrier and its eyes glowed blue. A bunch of grass bunched together and formed a large knot. The Tyranitar got caught in the snare and it fell. The sheer size of the Tyranitar made it seem like it was falling in slow motion. It fell right in front of Espeon. Its eyes opened slowly and Justin could tell it was over. It growled in a last effort to intimidate Espeon and it responded with a Psychic. Tyranitar was wrapped in a thin veil of blue energy and was lifted up. The giant Pokémon rose up high above the tree canopy and was slammed down by Espeon.

Dirt flew up from the impact and Tyranitar was left in a large crater from the crash. It didn't move and Justin was amazed at what had happened right in front of him. Espeon slowly walked to Justin and curled up next to him and immediately started to breathe slowly. Justin realized that it fell asleep from all the power it had used. It had gone out there regardless of the risks it posed to itself and challenged that Tyranitar and won. Trent ran over to him with his two Pokémon and checked on him.

"You're okay! I saw you get tossed over here and I thought you were a goner." He glanced at Espeon and shook his head in disbelief. "That was…"

"Incredible?" Trent nodded and smiled.

"Let's get you guys home."

"Yeah… ow!" When he shifted his body, a burst of pain shot through him. The damage from hitting the tree was more severe than he thought.

"You shouldn't move by yourself yet. Emboar." The big fire-type picked him up and carried him over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes.

"This is… totally degrading."

"Don't worry I won't tell anyone." Justin laughed, but stopped as soon as more pain surged through his body.

"You better not… or else I'll have Espeon deal with you!" At the sound of its name, its ears shot up. Espeon relaxed and started to walk at Emboar's side.

"_You're right about that!" _A feminine voice rang inside his head, but there were no girls around him at the time. He looked down at Espeon and swore he saw it grin with satisfaction. Guess there was a lot figure out about his new partner. Emboar walked into the cave with Justin on his shoulder and thought of what he would tell everyone back home… home. It sounded good to be going home now…

**WOW THAT WAS A LOOOONNNGGGG CHAPTER! Sorry that the update is a day late, but as you can tell by reading, it was F***ING LONG! And hopefully it was worth the wait and read! There will be an update for the story next Wednesday and be sure to check out Legacy as well! Be sure to check in at the beginning of the week to vote on the poll as it will have an effect on which story I decide to work on more. Here's the next question of the day!**

** Who from the story would you take into the cave and why? (Only choose one person)**

** Who will you guys choose? Thanks for reading and once again, I'm very sorry about the late update. I'll see you on Wednesday!**

**-N-Black, Out**


	19. Chapter 19

**N-Black is back with the FIRST summer update of Pokemon Academy! That's right; its summer vacation which means more free time and more free time means more chapters! Here are the results of last week's poll. **

** Pokemon Academy: 6**

** Legacy: 0**

** Write something new: 0 **

**Pokemon Academy takes it by a landslide! Also, the best answer to the question of the day is... ****Gravityllama**! **Here's their answer! "****I would probably choose Roxanne because she might get lost, then I would have to save her and she would give me something in return. If you catch my drift  
\(_)/don't judge me" ****I don't think anyone can judge you for that reasoning Mr. Llama and believe me... I catch your drift... Anyways here the new chapter...**

** Chapter 19: Homebound **

"Are we there yet?" Justin asked for the umpteenth time.

"No!" Everyone shouted their answers at him all at once. He just wanted to finally leave this place behind again and he couldn't find anything to pass the time with so he annoyed everyone else.

"This is boring!" He was acting like a child, but he didn't care. After what he went through he was pretty sure he had the right to complain all he wanted. No one answered him and he guessed that they were going to ignore him until he stopped talking. From where he was hanging over Emboar's shoulder, he could see the two-pronged tail of his newly evolved Espeon. He learned that it was a female Pokemon since it told him through telepathy. He still had to adjust to having its voice ring in his head.

"_Justin, are you okay?_" The prickling feeling in the back of his head that happened whenever Espeon talked to him was another thing he would have to get over.

"**I'm fine, thanks for asking" **He could feel Espeon's worries in his head and could tell she wasn't satisfied with the answer he gave her. "**Okay... the truth is that I feel like crap.**" She seemed satisfied this time now that she knew the truth. Hopefully she wouldn't get too... _frisky_ with her telepathy in the future.

"We're almost back out guys!" Carmen said. The dirt and dust that had accumulated on everyone during the trip was coming off of them so it looked like they were walking dust clouds. Trent was abnormally silent during the return trip. He usually talked when something bad happened to keep everyone's minds focused on what he was saying so that they would forget about their problems. The weight of the situation hit Justin like Carlos's Rhyhorn. Just how much trouble would they be in when they got back?

He could see the look on Professor Oak's face now. The respected headmaster would definitely kick them all out of the academy and then suffer a heart attack at what the media would do when they grabbed wind of the story.

"Trent?" The senior trainer turned his head and acknowledged him. "Just how much trouble are we going to be in?" Justin could tell that Trent had trouble taking in the truth of it all as well. He pressed his hands together and said through an exhale,

"I don't know." That was comforting. As the group continued back, Justin recognized the cavern they had first rested in. They were almost out of these Arceus-forsaken caves for good. Roxanne slowed down to walk next to Trent's Emboar.

"Justin?"

"Yes Roxanne?"

"I know that this may seem sort of strange, but could you come with me to my room after we get out of this cave? I want to show you my research." Her research? Just what exactly was it all about? He vaguely remembered her saying something about it before they left on this wild trip, but the fine details were out of his grasp.

"Sure, I guess."

"Oh good!" Roxanne breathed a sigh of relief, but Justin could hear another sound. It was coming from Espeon and it sounded like growling. The hairs on her body were raised slightly and her eyes were slanted in a threatening manner at Roxanne who seemed not to hear it. What had provoked her?

"**Espeon, what's wrong?" **His question got her attention and the growling stopped.

"_Oh, it's nothing..._" He tried to push more questions on her, but it was like she set up a psychic barrier to hide behind. No matter how hard he probed, he couldn't get the question to reach her. Whatever aggravated her, it was apparently because of Roxanne, but she did nothing that would make Justin think she had any kind of malicious intent.

"The light! I see the light of the Habitat Enclosure!" Lucy was the first to go ahead of everyone.

"Finally! I'm free from this musty old cave!" Everyone else was right behind her as they stepped into the harsh light of the Enclosure. They made it back into the enclosure and no one was happier than Silver.

"I'm back... I'm BACK!" The place looked empty, but Justin was still cautious.

"Trent, how long were we down there?"

"Well it's six in the morning right now." They were underground for a whole day and Justin could start to fell all the exhaustion and the hunger pile up onto him. If he didn't get any food soon, he would pass out right where he stood. "Anyone hungry?" Justin's stomach growled loudly and it echoed off of the walls of the room. Trent smiled and said, "I'll take that as a yes!"

Trent led them to his room. Since he was a teaching assistant, he had a room on the staff side of the academy that students weren't allowed in.

"It's just down this way." He shepherded them to his room like lost Mareep, but they made it into his room without anyone noticing. Once they were inside, everyone collapsed somewhere. Roxanne was on a chair, Lucy was on Trent's bed, and Silver laid down on the floor. Justin picked a spot on the wall and sunk down till he sat comfortably. Carmen was the only one who remained standing. Trent went into his personal kitchenette and Justin could hear the sound of a fridge door opening. Trent came back out with refreshments for everyone. "Have a drink. I've got some instant noodles if that's what you all want to eat." There were no rejections to the idea so Trent went to work on the noodles.

"Hey Carmen, why don't you sit down and relax?" Justin said. She seemed to think about it, but she came over to where he was and took a seat. Her hair was out of place and streaks of dirt lined her pale face. "Rough trip wasn't it?"

"Yeah..." She sounded disappointed about something.

"What's up? Aren't you happy that we're out of that cave?" Something was troubling her, but she wasn't being direct with it.

"I am happy it's just that... I didn't get to find that jewel." Justin remembered the strange stone in his pocket and was about to pull it out. He felt for it first to make sure it wasn't lost when he was smacked against the tree, but it was still there, as were the rest of the gems Drilbur had gotten him.

"Do you mean th-"

"FOOD!" Silver screamed. He nearly rushed to the kitchen and inhaled most of his soup and noodles before he made it back to his spot on the floor.

"Can't you be quieter?" Justin asked.

"You have no idea the kinds of things I had to eat to stay alive down there!" Silver shuddered and returned to his noodles, eating with much gusto. Horrid images flashed through Justin's mind when he thought about it.

"Justin and Carmen is it? Here's your food." Trent placed the warm bowls of soup in their hands and they returned to their seats at the wall. Before Justin ate his food, he thought of his team and set the bowl down.

"Trent, do you have any Pokemon food?"

"Of course!" He opened several cabinets to show the high class food inside of them. They had apricorns, berries, and several other delectable treats Pokemon enjoy. Everyone poured bowls full of the food and soon Trent's room was filled with people and Pokemon all enjoying the food they had.

Even though they had been through a lot in the past 24 hours, he believed that he truly understood the benefits of having good friends you can count on to have your back. Despite the fact that they were probably in a heap of trouble, Justin felt at peace at the moment. Seeing everyone so calm and relaxed with their Pokemon was great. Silver really changed as well. He was making sure his Pokemon were getting extras, he even gave them some of his own food.

Justin wished that Carlos and Ethan were here right now... those two were probably pulling their hair out yesterday when he didn't come back, but he was sure that they didn't tell anyone about his absence. Justin noticed that Carmen didn't have her team out with her.

"Carmen, where's your Absol and the other Pokemon you have?"

"Oh, I can't feed them this. Their on a special diet for our training."

"You can't let it slide?"

"No." She set down her bowl and Justin realized she had barely eaten her own food.

"You know, just because your Pokemon are on a "special diet" doesn't mean you have top starve yourself." He picked up her bowl and a plan started to form in his head. He got a spoonful of the noodles and put it towards Carmen's face. She put her hand up to block its path.

"Wh-What are you doing?!"

"Feeding you, duh! Now open up for the airplane!" He kept trying to poke through her hands and she started to smile as he kept trying. "Come on! Eat the noodles!"

"Okay, okay, fine!" She let down her hands and Justin put the spoon to her mouth.

"See? It's not so bad!"

"I-It's embarrassing though..."

"You shouldn't have to feel embarrassed around me. After all, you're my friend right?" The words seemed alien to her as she looked a little stunned when he said it.

"Yeah... friend..." She stared blankly forward with no expression.

"Carmen?" She sighed and took the bowl from Justin with a coy smile on her face.

"I'm a big girl! I can handle myself."

"Oooookayyy then Ms. All Grown Up!" Carmen chuckled softly and started to by herself. Justin took another look at the room and smiled wide at the site. All the people and Pokemon together just seemed... right. He felt cozy where he was sitting and was probably not going to get up till he slept. Another feeling tickled his insides. It was the kind of feeling that you get when you're really happy. Everyone may feel it differently, but to Justin, that feeling was like he had just drunk a delicious cup of warm cocoa. His Espeon came to his empty side and nuzzled up to him. He stroked it behind its ears, just as he did when she was an Eevee. He felt safe, secure. He felt like he was... home.

**Ah, a relaxing chapter for the end of the school year! Here's the question of the day guys and it pertains to Summer! **

** What are your plans for the Summer? **

**Justin's finally home at the academy and Roxanne has invited him over to see her research, but what made Espeon so mad about it? Find out on Tuesday! **

** -N-Black, Out**


	20. Chapter 20

**N-Black is back with a new chapter of Pokemon Academy! Here is the best question of the day response, **

**HawkAnimations's summer plan is something I think we can all agree with as being an awsome summer!**

**"My plans are to be lifeguarding while getting my tan on and get to see plenty of cute girls in bikinis. I get paid to sit around and yell at people. BEST SUMMER EVER!"**

**On a different note, Justin has successfully returned to the Academy with everyone safely, but there are obstacles in his path. His disappearance will most likely lead to punishment, but what kind of punishment? **

* * *

**Chapter 20: This is a Punishment? **

Justin looked blankly at the elevator door. Silver, Carmen, and Trent were all crammed inside of it, all of them were silent. The buzz of the machinery pulling them up seemed louder than usual. Justin was busy preparing himself mentally for the words of Professor Oak. Trent had all told them when they were in his room that they were going to go to the Headmaster willingly to avoid any further trouble. He let them go to their rooms to see their friends so that they knew they were alright. During that time, Trent went to the Headmaster's office alone to tell him first and hopefully soften the blow they were going to inevitably receive. When Justin came into the room, he had to answer all sorts of questions Carlos and Ethan asked him. He left before he could finsh the story and they told him that they expected him to to tell them the rest. Truthfully, it was better for him to own up to this whole thing. If he came up willingly to Professor Oak, there would be less anger, but just voluntarily going to him and sealing his fate was a difficult choice to make regardless.

"Just stay cool guys," Trent said. "After I confronted Professor Oak with all the details, he seemed to take them in just fine, but don't do anything rash."

"Where are Roxanne and Lucy?" Justin asked. The absence of the two was strange and if they somehow managed to cop out of their punishments, Justin would be pissed. Life wasn't fair and that's especially true in school.

"Roxanne's brother Steven managed to get her out of trouble. He used his status as the school benefactor to pull her out. He probably did it for business reasons; after all, a delinquency on your record can really screw up your chance of getting a job." Justin understood now. Steven was obviously trying to keep Roxanne's record spotless so that she could be successful as well. He couldn't help but wonder if Steven really cared about his sister as a person and not as an asset for business. "As for Lucy... I'm not really sure what Professor Oak can do to her except fire her since she isn't a student, but that's unlikely."

"Why is it unlikely?" Justin got a little excited at the mention of her getting fired, but he soon mellowed.

"It's because she's a great counselor apparently. All of the students she's counseled do really well for themselves in their studies." Trent said lazily.

"That's a damn lie..." Justin said quietly so no one could hear him. The elevator came to a stop at the top floor and Justin could feel the déjà vu heavily. The last time he was up here was when he battled Silver on the first day.

"Brings back memories don't it?" Silver said with a smug expression.

"Yeah... memories." Justin felt the urge to strangle Silver right then and there, but the door to the Headmaster's office opened. In the doorway was Professor Oak. His graying hair seemed out of place and his usually neat and unwrinkled clothes were ruffled. It looked like he had just gotten up.

"They are to come in without you Trent. I hope you understand."

"Of course professor." Oak went back to his desk and Justin and his fellow partners in crime began to walk forward. Trent put a hand on Justin's shoulder to stop him and quietly said, "Good luck."

"Thanks." A heavy sense of foreboding loomed onto Justin as he walked into the office.

"Please close the door and take a seat." The professor motioned to one of the simple wooden chairs in front of his desk. Justin closed the door and felt a surge of fear shoot through him as if clicked closed. He took his seat in the middle of Carmen and Silver. The professor fiddled with a pencil and reclined in his chair looking totally relaxed. "Trent has told me his part of the story, now I want to hear yours. I will listen attentively I promise you, so please speak." No one spoke, but the professor didn't seem agitated at all. He just kept fiddling with the pencil and remained patient."

"Very well... I shall tell you." Carmen said with quickness.

"Ah, Miss Emerson! I have heard from Ms. Lucy that you are quite the talented trainer! Oh, I apologize, I went a little off topic, please share the story." Carmen told all of the events that had happened in the cave form start to finish with complete accuracy. Never once did she falter in her recounting of the events. It was like she had planned out the explanation beforehand. Everything was told, even the battle with the monster Tyranitar. Justin was sure that Professor Oak was going to flip his desk over in sheer horror of their actions, but he remained as calm as ever.

Carmen finished the story after about ten minutes of talking and the room was silent. Professor Oak sat with his fingers interlaced, seemingly thinking about the story. Anxiety filled Justin from head-to-toe. Was he coming up with their punishment?

"That's quite the story..." The headmaster said, finally breaking the silence. "If what you just told me is true... then I have no choice but to expel all of you." Justin fell back in his chair with resignation. He had predicted this would happen. Now that it really happened, he felt free of all the stress he had accumulated from thinking about it. Carmen also seemed resigned with the fate as well, but Silver was red with anger. He had just got back from being trapped underground only to be kicked out. The professor got up and stretched lazily. "That's what I _would_ have done if Trent hadn't come here first."

Silent surprise grabbed Justin's attention. They weren't getting expelled! However, something didn't feel right. There was no way that they were going to get off that easy. There had to be repercussions.

"Professor, what is our punishment?" Justin asked plaintively. Oak let out a loud laugh and sat back down in his chair.

"It's good that you realize that you're still going to be punished for this. The faster you come to terms with something, the easier you make it on yourself." He rolled on his chair over to a cabinet and rummaged through files until he found the one he was looking for. "Now, taking into account Trent's good word and that fact that you found Silver and brought him back here warrants you some ease from the harsher punishments that you would've been subjected to." Their Headmaster put the file on his desk so that they could all read the tab name. The file was dubbed the "Mentorship Program."

"What is this professor?" Carmen asked with curiosity.

"That is a program that was created a while back, but hasn't seen any use. It was never put into effect and it was stored away, always passed over for something else."

"So this mentorship program... is it like a tutoring thing?" Silver asked with distaste. Silver wasn't the kind of person that came to mind when Justin thought about tutors. He always thought that tutors should be smart, tolerant, patient and well... not Silver.

"In some ways yes, but you aren't going to be just handling one student. You'll be in harge of six students, all whom are having difficulty in their classes." The professor took a sip of some coffee on his desk and sighed. "You'll be meeting your fellow students tomorrow after school in these respective classrooms." He handed each of them a piece of paper with a room number written on them. "Keep in mind that this doesn't have to be a punishment. Consider this a learning experience and to help you learn the values of responsibility."

"This is our only option professor?" Justin asked. It wasn't like he completely abhored the idea of being a tutor, it was just that the people who usually need tutoring tended to not pay attention to their teachers.

"Either that or you sufferr the regular punishments." Oak said nonchalantly

"And those are?" Justin asked anxiously.

"You would all be suspended and given detentions the rest of the year."

"For just sneaking out?!" Silver exclaimed with incredulity.

"That's not it. You all put yourselves in a great deal of danger when you embarked on this whirlwind adventure of yours and if Trent hadn't shown up, Arceus knows what would've happened to you! This is especially true for you Silver since you left the academy and didn't turn up for a whole week. My, I haven't been so stressed since I let Red out on his journey!"

"Red?" Justin asked inquisitively.

"Oh, uh, nothing. The point is that you all need to learn to be responsible and owning up for your actions is a start, a great start indeed, but unless you want to be punished severely, I recommend that you all just take the students and help them." Justin was all for it, as was Carmen and after nudging Silver in the ribs, he was in too. "Excellent! You'll be doing this for two months and at the end of each week I want a report on each of the students to be handed in to me. The students will also be writing reports on how you did that week as well, so you better not shirk your duties!" With those words, Professor Oak led them to the elevator. "Have fun and stay out of trouble!"

Justin couldn't help but fell that the last part was directed at him and Silver. The three of them traveled down much more relaxed than when they were doming up.

"That's a relief." Carmen leaned against the glass casing and yawned.

"Yeah, good thing it's just tutoring." Justin and Carmen were obviously taking the news better than Silver was.

"You're both joking right? These next two weeks are gonna be terrible!" Silver clenched his fists in anger.

"It's just tutoring dude, calm down." Justin was amused to see Silver breaking down in front of him and had to stifle his laughter.

"That's just it! I have to spend my time with a bunch of people I don't want to know and teach them. The worst part is that I never went to any of my classses so I don't know crap about anything!"

"Well, you could always go back into your little cave... I'm sure that the Tyranitar would be happy to see you." Justin said knowing that he would set off a time bomb.

"You asshole! Don't bring that up!" Justin and Carmen both laughed at Silver's outrage. Honestly, Justin had no problem tutoring if it kept him out of trouble, heck, he could use the review as well. The elevator stopped at the ground floor and the three of them walked out and split up to go their respective dorms. As Justin walked with Silver back to the boy's dorm, he noticed that he held a grimace the entire way.

"Silver, you heard Professor Oak... you can always get suspended."

"Whatever. Just you wait, come tomorrow you'll wish that you never agreed to this thing." Silver stomped on ahead of him and left Justin thinking. A strange feeling of worry ran through him, but he just put it aside.

"**He's just mad, so he wants the rest of us to be" **Justin thought about what would happen tomorrow and all the people he was going to meet. News was bound to spread about his little escapade, Austin had confirmed that for him a long time ago. He hoped that he wasn't going to get questioned by the other students, but he knew it was inevitable no m,atter how hard he tried to convince himself. All those people swarming over him to get his side of the story... it made him restless. As he walked back, Justin heard something in his jacket pockets jingle. He reached inside and felt all the gemstones inside of them, courtesy of Drilbur. He had special plans for them and especially the glass like one. Tomorrow was a new day and hopefully it was going to be a good one...

* * *

**So there you go guys! Justin's punishment has been established. However I'm curious to what kind of punishment you guys would have given him. Hm... that sounds like an excellent question of the day!**

**What kind of punishment would you have given the three of them and why? **

**Remeber to share and review, it means a lot to me that there are so many reviews for my first fanfic and I want to say that you guys are great for supporting the story this whole time! If you have any ideas to help improve the story, PM me or leave it in a review. Don't forget to check out the new poll question and there will still be an update on Tuesday and you'll meet Justin's six students! Oh and by the way... If you've sent in an OC and haven't seen them yet... let's just say they'll be coming soon...**

**-N-Black, Out**


	21. Chapter 21

**N-Black is back with Pokémon Academy and the introduction of Justin's six students. I want to thank you guys for the **_**69**_** *chuckle* reviews for the story! As for the best response to the question, it's none other than darkmoonrise312!**

"**I would make them seal up that entrance with concrete and do some other remidial labor, like cleaning toilets. And that could lead to a nice awkward situation like night one to work with**."

**Some of you seem to think that tutoring is not a sufficient punishment, but you will soon learn through the rest of the chapters what Justin will have to deal with… **

** Chapter 21: Enter the Six!**

Justin jotted down a few notes onto his already filled notebook. Colress was busy teaching them about the Pokémon Storage System and required them to take intricate notes. The lecture was dry and Justin stared to doodle on his notebook halfway through it. He was quite proud of the untidy sketch of a Tyranitar being lifted into the air by an Espeon. The bell rang signaling their escape from the educational prison and Justin tried to squeeze through into the front of the group to be the first out to lunch.

"Mr. Evoran." Colress's voice rang through the mob of students and Justin pretended not to hear. He kept trying to squeeze through when Colress called him again. He grudgingly trudged to where Colress was and shot a reassuring glance to Carlos and Ethan. Colress waited until all the students cleared out and he took a seat at his desk.

"Why'd you hold me after class sir?" Colress chuckled softly, amused by something apparently.

"Your formality is respectable but unneeded Justin, just call me Colress. I told you this last week didn't I?"

"Yes… Colress."

"Really you are quite forgetful. Trent told me so on the way here that you had a nasty habit of forgetting things or more specifically losing things." Colress had a point there. Justin had so far lost his Sharpedo tooth necklace, ID, and sunglasses. All of those items were important and he still managed to lose them.

"That's true I guess…"

"Yes, yes… I just hope that you didn't forget something in that cave you went into." Justin's pulse quickened when Colress said cave.

"E-Excuse me?" Colress shifted his amber eyes at Justin and they held a curious look.

"What's wrong?" The blonde haired man looked completely clueless to what Justin was worried about. Was Justin hearing things?

"Oh, it's nothing…" His professor blinked a few times and opened up his laptop. Was Colress playing dumb? Justin was sure he heard him say cave.

"You worry me sometimes. From what I've gathered, you're quite bright and you've been managing to keep up with the rigorous curriculum I've been throwing at you."

"Where exactly did you "gather" this information?" Colress rolled his neck around lazily while typing up a storm on the laptop.

"From other teachers, conversations, and your grades more importantly." Empty silence stayed awkwardly between them and the only sound was from the clacking of keys on the keyboard. "But I do realize I'm holding up for lunch so I'll get to the point." Colress stopped his typing and sat in a more relaxed position. "I wanted to wish you luck on your tutoring today."

"You know about that?" Colress nodded plaintively.

"Yes, Professor Oak told me about it as well as the rest of the staff after all, this is the first time the program has been officially initialized. While it may be your "punishment" it's also an excellent way to test the effectiveness of the program."

"So we're basically lab Rattata?" Justin thought with discomfort. He didn't like to be a test subject. The first people who try something experimental usually get the worst of it.

"No, of course not! While yes it is a new thing that we're having you try, don't think about it so negatively. Professor Oak put you and your other two friends in this situation to help the other students and to teach you the values of responsibility." Colress returned his attention to his laptop and continued talking. "However, I can't help but wonder what kind of trouble you got into to make the Professor use this to "punish" you." He left the statement dangling and stopped typing. He was obviously waiting for Justin to answer his question.

"Oh, well… I kind of want to keep that to myself… if you don't mind." Colress smiled and kept typing.

"I understand. Your business is your business so I'll leave that to you. That's all I wanted to talk about, you may go now." Justin made sure to walk as quickly as possible to the door without looking to suspicious. Once he was outside of the classroom and a reasonable distance away from the door, Justin let exhaled with relief. Colress didn't appear to have any malicious things floating around him, but something just made him uncomfortable for Justin to be around.

Now that he was outside, he had the chance to look at his Xtransceiver to check the time. Lunch was already half over so Justin ran to the cafeteria to see if there was any food left. He barged into the cafeteria and much to his disappointment, the lunch staff was already putting things away. Guess there was no nourishment for him today. He felt like he really needed it after Colress's intense lesson and to make sure he had energy during his tutoring session.

With no lunch and only disappointment filling him, Justin walked to the usual spot to hang out with Carlos and Ethan for a while. He flopped onto his chair and felt his stomach rumble at the sight of his friends' food.

"So how was Colress?" Ethan asked while consolidating his trash onto his tray.

"He just asked about my tutoring thing. Nothing major I guess."

"That's right. Your "punishment" is today," Carlos said through a bite of his sandwich, "What do you have planned?"

"Honestly? Nothing." Justin was doomed for failure here. He knew that Carmen was going to do well with her students. Anyone that got out of line around her would be put, or smacked back into it. Justin's only ray of hope was that Silver was going to suffer more than he was. That still didn't alleviate the nervousness he felt building up inside of him. He hadn't felt his stage fright for a while, but the thought of speaking to these students, even though it was just six of them, made him uneasy.

"Really? You have nothing?" Justin nodded slowly at Ethan's words.

"Why don't we help you out then?" Carlos said, "We can improvise something or we could just burn the time for your lesson up by doing nothing."

"Carlos I appreciate the help, but just doing nothing isn't going to reflect well on my daily reports."

"Well it's what my teachers did back home. On the first day, it was just a chill day you know? A time for everyone to get acquainted and learn the rules. It really helps break the ice." Justin thought about the suggestion a little harder and concluded that it could work well. Since he didn't have any better plans, this would just have to do.

"Alright then, I'll go with your plan Carlos. We should get going then, I don't want to be late for my first lesson!" The trio got up and made their way to the designated classroom given to Justin for his tutoring sessions. The path they were following was familiar. It was the way to Professor Juniper's class. He stopped at the classroom A-15 and realized that it was Professor Juniper's room. The door slid open and the professor herself came out with a surprised smile on her face.

"Oh you're here early just like the first day of class! You must be excited." Her pure happiness made it hard to not agree with her.

"Uh, yeah sure… Why am I using your classroom?"

"Professor Oak asked us yesterday to help out with your tutoring by loaning you our rooms afterschool, so I volunteered of course. It's always a pleasure to see students helping each other to succeed!" She turned her mint green eyes to Justin's friends and creased her brow.

"Is something wrong Professor?" Justin asked.

"You do know that you have to do this alone right? Ethan and Carlos can't be in here." That was news to Justin for sure. Professor Oak never told them that they had to do this alone.

"The Headmaster never told me that!"

"He didn't give you a set of the rules and regulations?"

"There are rules?" Justin said with crumbling hope. He would have to not only teach others, but he had to follow the rules as well.

"Yes there are!" Professor Juniper motioned for Justin to follow her into her room, but sent Carlos and Ethan away first. They gave Justin reassuring looks and thumbs up to tell him he was going to be okay, but he wasn't so sure that he was going to hold up well. Professor Juniper pointed to a file on the desk and gave Justin a card key. "This is to get in and lock the door to the room. Make sure that it's always secure. The file on the desk contains the rules and the tutoring requests of the teachers. You have information on your six students' grades and behavior in class."

"When are they coming?"

"You got here fairly early so they should be around in about ten minutes or so. In the meantime, you can read over the files to get to know more about your fellow peers." Professor Juniper grabbed her laptop and headed for the door. "I wish you luck. You have to tell me how you do!" With that, the brown-haired professor left the classroom and left Justin alone with the file on the table. As he walked toward the desk, his footsteps echoed off the walls. Justin took a seat at the desk and looked at the empty rows of chairs and realized the true scope of the class. He pictured the rows all filled with students, their eyes watching him. The vision did not help to calm his nerves so he went to the file to learn about his future students.

He pulled out the stack of papers within the file and found the rule sheet. He skimmed over it to get the most important details. He saw the no help from other's rule, but there were a few other key rules he had to abide by. He couldn't do the homework assigned to the students for them, he couldn't take them out of the classroom without staff permission and supervision, and he couldn't teach them anything else other than what he was assigned to teach them. It was straightforward enough and Justin couldn't foresee any major violation of the rules in the future.

There was a knock at the door and Justin's heart started to race with anticipation and nervousness. It was most likely the students and he hadn't gotten the chance to look over their files. He put the rest of the folder's contents away and hurried to the door. He took a deep breath and opened it. Instead of six people, he saw one beautiful person standing in front of him.

Skyla looked at him with bright smile on her face and walked inside. She didn't say anything at first and it threw Justin off. She walked gracefully past him and motioned with one finger to come to where she was standing. He closed the door and walked over to her, thinking furiously on the way. Was she mad at him? Once he was in front of her, she ran her hand up his jacket till it was around his collar. A sultry look glazed her features and she pulled him by the collar close to her face. She didn't break eye contact with him while he they were close.

"So…" She began, "Where were you yesterday?"

"I was, uh, I, ummm..." She placed a finger on his lips to silence him.

"I missed you yesterday," Skyla said, "I had something special planned for you, but I couldn't find you today or yesterday… so I guess I'll just have to do it here."

"D-Do what?" Justin was excited and also a little scared.

"You owe me from the amusement park remember?" She didn't let him speak and instead brought herself closer to him. Nothing was going to stop him this time. He was unsure the first two times this had happened, but now his mind was clear and he knew that he wanted this.

A knock on the door made both of them jump and stopped the intimate moment in a flash. Justin kept his expression placid, but his mind was cursing Arceus for interrupting the third, count 'em, THIRD attempt he had to kiss Skyla. He broke away from Skyla and a frown showed on her face.

"Sorry, it's my students." He ran to the door and slid the card key in to unlock the door, "C-Come in!"

"You have students?" Skyla asked curiously. Justin knew that she was no doubt disappointed with the result as well.

"Yeah, I have to tutor them… it's a long story." The door slid open and six students came inside, observing Justin and Skyla. There were three guys and three girls. They took their seats in the front row and began to mumble their conversations, but never stopped looking at the two of them. "Well, I can't have anyone inside here while I'm doing this."

"Really?" Now she looked even more disappointed. Justin tried to stop the plummeting hope she had as quickly as he could.

"S-Sorry, but as soon as I have some free time, I'll talk with you." She nodded and walked out, giving him one last tender look before the door closed, blocking her from view. The chattering stopped once Justin turned around. He stood in the center of the room where the professor usually stood and cleared his throat. "**Here goes nothing…**"

"I have a question!" A tan skinned girl in a blue dress with mid-back length auburn hair and red sneakers put her hand up, but didn't take her eyes off of the phone in her hand. Her quickness made Justin forget everything he was about to say.

"Uh, yes?" She let the silence in the room gather until she spoke.

"Was she your girlfriend?" Her sudden accusation sent heat into his face and he hastily denied it.

"N-No…" She tilted her head and smiled deviously at him.

"You two seemed _awfully _close."

"That's not the case here! I need to get started so if you would please-"

"Do you two know each other well, or is it more of a physical relationship?" Justin couldn't take it anymore.

"Please be quiet until I finish my introduction, then I will have time for questions!" The boy that sat next to the curious girl gently nudged her with his elbow and she settled down. "T-Thank you." Now that he had their undivided attention, he felt a lot of pressure go onto him. "N-Now I assume y-you all know why you're here?" No one said otherwise so he continued. "Well my name is Justin Evoran and I'm going to be your tutor for the next two months so I hope we all get to know each other and get along." He finished better than he thought he would and talked a little more confidently. "So, I have some assignments for you guys that your teachers gave me." There was groaning form a few of the students, but no big outbursts. Justin had the worksheets in his hands, but he heard Carlos's voice in his head.

"**Take it easy the first day…**" Justin took the documents and tossed them on the table. The others looked at him with surprise and he leaned against the table.

"I have those worksheets… but we don't have to do them today." Some excited mumbling from a few of them gave Justin hope. "Alright then… why don't we start with introductions? I'll go first." Justin cleared his throat and thought of where he was going to start. "I'm Justin from Aspertia City in Unova and well… I like to draw, hang out with my friends, but most importantly… raise my Pokémon." Justin looked at the six people in front of him and decided to go left to right with his picking. "How about you man?" He pointed to the boy who nudged the girl. He blinked confusedly and looked around nervously.

"I-I'm Roy Clark and I'm from Pewter City in Kanto..." Roy was fair skinned with short blonde hair spiked up, a brown leather jacket, blue jeans held by a leather belt, and a Pokéball strung around his neck like a necklace. Roy's eyes were a very light blue and his pupils were quite noticeable. "I like to, uh, train my Pokémon as well… yeah." He seemed shy so Justin didn't force anymore details out of him.

"How about you twenty questions?" The girl next to him smiled and huffed. Justin took a deep breath, waiting for a long explanation.

"I am Kryztal Reignheart of Pewter City," She said with just a touch of arrogance. "I'm training to become a top-notch coordinator and my likes include talking with my friends, shopping, not doing homework, and spending time with my boyfriend Roy." She held his arm affectionately and a blush formed around Roy's cheeks.

"Kryztal?!"

"Oh, don't be so shy Roy! They were going to find out sooner or later!" Justin chuckled as did the others. He felt glad that he wasn't the only one to endure Kryztal's knack for making awkward moments.

"Alright then… so you're next up dude." When Justin cast his look at the next person, his eyes widened. The guy he was looking at looked like he was twenty and he was built like a Tauros and tall to boot. He had long jet black hair in a ponytail with a light goatee on his chin and a faint scar an inch down from his left eye. He had a checkered black and white hoodie with holes in the sleeves for his thumbs. His faded black jeans were torn at the knees and worn black and white sneakers. The guy fidgeted with his sleeves and spoke quietly, almost inaudible.

"My name is Jesse James; I'm fifteen and I'm from Anville Town…" He paused and looked around. He was even worse than Roy was at first. "I like to spend time with my Pokémon mostly…" He sank down and Justin took that as a sign that he wasn't going to talk anymore.

"Nice to meet you Jesse." Justin had a feeling that he Jesse was going to take while to ease up around them. "You're next." He nodded to the girl a few seats away from Jesse. She was looking into space and when Justin called her again, she shook her head and looked at him.

"My turn already? Okay then. I'm Jamie Andrews from Virbank City in Unova." Jamie had long orange hair in a side ponytail. She wore a purple half jacket over a blue tank top and a yellow skirt. "I'm a daydreamer if you hadn't noticed, but I do like to think and debates are my forte." She flashed a bright smile and Justin moved on to the boy in the higher seats. He had his blue cap over his eyes and Justin projected his voice to get his attention.

"You up there! Mind telling us who you are?" The boy tilted his hat up to reveal his piercing emerald green eyes.

"I'm Lane." It sounded like he was finished talking right after that as he put his cap back down to cover his eyes. Lane had snow white hair slightly tan skin, wore a blue t-shirt, black jeans, a wristband on his left hand. Lane's red sneakers contrasted greatly with his t-shirt.

"Anything else you want to add? Like… maybe where you're from and what your interests are?" Lane didn't adjust his hat, but he spoke loud and clear.

"I like it when people don't snoop into my business and for where I'm from, I'd rather not say." Justin could tell that there was going to be problems with Lane later in the future, but let it slide for now. If he didn't want to share that was fine, but he didn't have to be so cold about it. He moved onward to the final person, a girl, and she stood up once he pointed to her. She was composed and had a beautiful smile on her face.

"Hello my fellow students and my tutor. My name is Alexia Grace from Mauville City in Hoenn." Alexia had fair skin, long blonde hair that fell to her lower back, and had matching golden eyes. She had a Maroon school uniform jacket that covered her white dress shirt with a matching mini skirt. She had thigh high, plain black nylons on with simple black dress slippers. The color of her jacket really made her hair and eyes pop. She looked very neat and organized and the smile just added to her already dazzling appearance. "I came to this academy to better myself with my Pokémon and I someday hope to be a great Pokémon researcher like our own Professor Juniper!" She took her seat and Justin was satisfied with how smooth everything went.

"Now then, we aren't going to work, so why don't you guys socialize and get to know each other for the day? I have paperwork to fill out and I have to give you guys an evaluation form for how I did for the day, so feel free to fill it out during the rest of the time we have left, just make sure I get them by the end of our session." He passed the stack around and proceeded to fill out the student evaluations. Everyone except for Lane had a positive report, but what he wrote for Lane wasn't harsh. All he said was that he was a little uncooperative.

As he went through the forms, he noticed that everyone, except for Roy and Kryztal, were keeping to themselves for the most part. Justin let it slide. It was their first day so they were going to be that way. Hopefully they would get to know each other within the week. Justin called time and asked for the sheets back. Once he had them all he dismissed them and put the sheets inside the folder for delivery. One by one, the students left, but Alexia was tapping the table she was sitting at with her pencil, not moving at all. The door shut closed and she got up and walked towards Justin's table.

"Uh, Mr. Evoran?" Being called by his last name by a person who was the same age as him was really weird.

"Oh, you don't have to call me mister. Just call me Justin." She nodded and looked around.

"Alright then Justin, I just wanted to ask if you needed any help with the files."

"Oh, no, I'm fine actually. Did you stay after just to help?"

"Yes, it gives me a chance to learn more about you. I do this with all my teachers." Justin considered that kind of action to be a complete Teacher's Pet move, but he didn't say anything since she was being so respectful of him.

"You know, you look like a smart person. How'd you end up getting recommended for this tutor thing?"

"Well… it's quite simple actually. I do well for the most part, but…"

"Let me guess. You have one class you just don't get?" She smiled and chuckled with relief.

"Oh you understand me! Yes, you see, I'm struggling with Professor Colress's class."

"I think we _all_ are." Alexia chuckled again, a sweet sound and looked at him once again.

"That's the truth for sure, but when I saw you today, I realized that you could really help me since you have one of the higher grades in the class." Justin stared wide-eyed and could scarcely believe it. He had one of the better grades in that class? "So if you could help me with that class, I'll be thankful so that's one of the reasons I decided to stay after the session so…"

"So you could ask for help." She smiled once again and looked at the ground.

"You're quite perceptive."

"I guess." Justin saw that she was sweating on her forehead and realized that it was kind of stuffy in the room. "You're sweating. You okay?"

"Oh, yes I'm fine. It's just my jacket." She unbuttoned it and folded it gently on the table. Justin noticed how tight her undershirt was and looked away so Alexia wouldn't notice. "There we go, much better." She stood in front of him with her jacket tucked into her arm and with one of her dazzling smiles. "Well if you don't need help Justin, then I'll get going. I hope I have good reports from you!"

"If you work well and keep up the good attitude, I'm sure you'll have no problem. It'll be a pleasure working with you." Alexia grabbed her bag and looked at him with a different expression in her eyes. It was almost like she was a different person because the eyes that had such blaring kindness in them looked… hungry.

"Yes… pleasure…" Alexia walked toward the door and dropped her jacket. She crouched down to get it, but her mini-skirt revealed more than Justin should have saw. He wanted to look away, but couldn't pry himself away. Most of everything was in view, but he was just shy of the nooks and crannies. She got back up and waved gently at him and the door closed. For some reason, he was anxious to teach now, but he figured it was his hormones going into overdrive. He felt a little guilty about looking and enjoying what he saw since Skyla had tried to make a move on him, but he couldn't help it. Alexia was beautiful and apparently smart, he couldn't deny it, but he couldn't let her distract him during tutoring. However, if she wanted to stick around a little while after class, Justin couldn't see what harm it would do…

**So we meet the six students and one of them is quite the looker and has Justin's hormones going wild. What will happen during the next session and what would Skyla do if she found out about this? Thanks to all the people who sent in OC's. All of the OC's except for Alexia are all not of my creation and after lots of thinking I finally found a place for them. If your OC hasn't appeared yet, I either forgot that you sent me one or I haven't found a place for them. PM me if I haven't spoken to you yet. Here's the Question of the Day!**

** Who is your favorite of the Six Students at the moment and why?**

**There will be an update on Saturday and for all you Legacy readers, I forgot to place the date of the update on the last one so this next update will be on Thursday and possibly another on Friday. That's it guys, enjoy your summers and keep reading! **

**-N-Black, Out**


	22. Chapter 22

**N-Black is back with another chapter for Pokémon Academy! I realized that I had to do this earlier because my cousin is getting married tomorrow and speaking of romance, things are getting a little more interesting in the academy with Alexia grabbing Justin's attention. As for the poll results…**

** Are you psyched for the summer? **

** Hell Yeah: 4**

** Sure, I guess: 2**

** It's too F !#ing HOT: 0**

** Actually, I don't really care: 0**

** The best response to the question goes to… ShirosakiEspada0!**

** "I really like Lane. For some reason, his cold, quiet, dark exterior has me thinking he has a very different internal side to him. I would know, seeing as I am a person like Lane myself." **

** Yes indeed… the silent types always have more than meets the eye…**

** Chapter 22: Know Your Boundaries**

Justin was reviewing his lesson plan for his students for the day. Yesterday went surprisingly well considering the fact that Justin nearly had a mental breakdown before his peers actually came into the room. Today he was going to teach them all something Trent taught his a long time ago. There was a guideline that Justin followed when he battled and he usually kept it to himself, but he wanted to share his knowledge. That was what a teacher did right? The bell to signal the end of lunch rang and Justin gathered his things.

"Hey Carlos." Justin's tall friend turned around and he had one of his bright, yet mischievous smiles on his face. "Thanks for the plan yesterday, it really saved me."

"No problem man!" Carlos walked off, but Ethan stayed behind. He was looking around for something, or for someone.

"Ethan, who're you looking for?" Ethan readjusted his hat nervously and looked around so no one could hear him.

"Have you seen Lyra anywhere?" Justin smiled and remembered that the two of them were practically a couple now.

"No, but I'm sure you'll find her somewhere."

"All she left me was this note saying "come find me" with a little smiley face." Justin had a few guesses in his head as to what the note meant, but he didn't want to scare Ethan out of it or make him any more nervous than he already was.

"Guess you better start looking pal! I've got to go!" Justin left his confused friend and proceeded to the gym. He had gained permission in advance for Brandon to let him use the gym and supervise the lesson. It was a chore to get it and he eventually had to say that Brandon was the better counselor than Scott and that managed to suffice. Justin left a note on the door to the regular classroom telling them to get to the gym. He headed inside the gym with the spare card key Brandon reluctantly gave him. Justin saw Jaret helping Brandon put away some equipment in the storage room when they heard him walk in.

"Justin!" Jaret put down the training equipment for the Pokémon and ran over to him, "Good to see you man! Brandon tells me that you've got a lesson planned for your students! You've got to tell me about how you got into this tutoring thing. I bet you went on some kind of adventure didn't you?"

"I'll tell you about it sometime later, but I've got to set up for my lesson." Right after he finished talking, there was a knock on the door. "Who's that? Uh, come in!" The door slid open and in walked Alexia. Jaret whistled and patted Justin on the back.

"Who is she?"

"S-She's a student of mine." Jaret whipped around with a surprised look.

"_She's _one of your students? Sheesh you're lucky…" Justin felt that way sometimes, but other times he felt like he had the worst luck alongside it to counterbalance it.

"I guess so, but she's pretty early." Alexia stopped next to Justin and flashed a smile.

"Hello Justin and is this one of your friends?" Jaret extended his hand eagerly.

"Yeah, my name is Jaret King. I'm a second year so if you have any questions about anything or anyone, I'd be happy to answer them!"

"I'll remember that Jaret."

"Alexia?" She turned around and Justin spoke a little awkwardly when she looked at him. "D-Don't take this the wrong way, but…"

"Why am I here so early?" She saw right through his question and she turned away a little shyly, "I was curious about what you had planned so I came to scout it out and it turns out we're going to do something interesting."

"Well… you figured me out then! You're too smart for your own good." She looked away from him with a slight blush in her cheeks.

"You flatter me…" The way how she looked when she was embarrassed… Justin couldn't explain it, but it made him excited.

"Oh, well I didn't really mean to do that, but…" The door opened again and this time it was the last person Justin would've expected. He had a black vest with an orange dress shirt and a fedora…

"B-Ben!?" He tipped his hat to reveal his wavy long black hair and smiled.

"In the flesh! How've you been Justin?"

"You know this guy Justin?" Jaret asked curiously.

"Y-Yeah… I met him on the main island one day. My question is what're you doing here Ben?" He wiped some lint from his hat and placed it back on his head.

"I got a job here at the academy Justin! Isn't it great?" Justin had a feeling why Ben chose to come to the academy and it wasn't for the money. Ben noticed Alexia and his eyes glinted darkly. "My, my… who is this Justin? Found a replacement for Cynthia already?"

"Who's Cynthia?" Jaret asked with total confusion upon his face.

"N-No one and she isn't a replacement for Cynthia, she's one of the six students I'm teaching." Ben ran his finger along the edge of his fedora and put on a charming smile. He bowed very gentlemanly like to Alexia and extended his hand.

"Hello young lady. My name is Ben Williamson, Pokémon coordinator and traveling entertainer." Alexia shifted nervously around him and shook hands with him.

"I-I'm Alexia Grace." Ben took her hand gently and glanced at Justin who was quite uncomfortable with what was transpiring in front of him.

"A beautiful name for a beautiful girl."

"Thank you…" She looked away shyly and Ben released her hand.

"I'll leave you alone for the time being Justin since you appear busy… good day!" He said with a tip of his hat. Alexia was rubbing the hand he held like there was something on it.

"You okay?" Justin asked with genuine concern. He knew what Ben was up to and the fact that he was at the academy and was working brought huge amounts of uneasiness on Justin's mind.

"Yes it's just that he's…"

"A little strange?"

"That's a nicer way to say it."

"Well since you're here early… why don't you help me set up? You want to help too Jaret?"

"Of course!" His eager friend responded. For the next ten minutes, Justin, Alexia, and Jaret all set up the gym just how Justin had it planned out and the whole time they were under the watchful eye of Brandon. There were cones set up on the biggest field in a certain manner that Justin would explain when it came time to teach. He checked the time and the rest of the students should be coming soon.

"Alright, Jaret. Thanks for the help man." He shrugged his shoulders and smiled.

"No problem, but is it cool if I stay and watch? I want to see what you're going to show them."

"Sure I guess." The door opened and the other five came in the gym. Kryztal raised a hand as soon as she was visible.

"Justin! Justin! I have a question!" Justin sighed and rubbed his temples.

"Is your question why we're in the gym?" She lowered her hand and looked around awkwardly and after a nudge from Roy, she nodded. Justin motioned for Alexia to join the others and he overheard Lane say,

"Got here early for more _studying _time?" Alexia closed her eyes and turned her head away from him.

"At least I'm trying to do well." Lane smiled and lowered his hat after hearing Alexia's retort. Seeing now that the group was quiet, Justin began to speak,

"Okay, I'm sure most of you are wondering what we're doing in here so I'm going to keep it short and simple… I'm going to teach you not only in-class subjects, but battle tactics." There was mumbling amongst them and Alexia rose her hand.

"Wait, aren't you prohibited from-" Justin raised a finger to his mouth to silence her. She stopped mid-question and lowered her hand. Justin peered back and saw that Brandon was still watching Justin like a Fearow, ready to strike should he make a mistake. He knew that he wasn't supposed to teach them anything that didn't involve their regular curriculum, but he was their teacher for this part of the day and he wanted to share this knowledge with them and make them better trainers.

"Now for the lesson… I'm going to tell you guys a secret I've used for my battles that I've never shared with anyone else." Excited mumbling now overtook the students and Justin quickly silenced them with a wave of his hand. Justin walked over to the field and motioned for them to follow him. He was in position in the first set of cones and exhaled. These guys were going to be the first recipients of his personal tactics not even Trent knew about. "I'm going to need a volunteer to help me out." No one raised their hands and it looked as if they were trying to figure out who was going to go first. Surprisingly, Lane stepped forward casually with a smirk.

"So… where do I stand?" Justin was offset by Lane's sudden action, but tried to hide it to keep the momentum going.

"On the line at the end of these first cones." Lane took his spot and Justin got the attention of the others. "Alight, listen up you guys! This is part of personal repertoire of tactics I use during battle. I developed these tactics myself and they're designed to keep the flow of the match in your favor. Once you establish the core of the strategy, you're essentially in control of the match the whole time through." He paused to see their reactions and most of them had a "no-way-that-works" face on except for Lane who was patiently waiting on the other side. "Lane and I are going to demonstrate the different spacing in battles that you may find yourself in and determine the advantages and disadvantages of each spot." Justin sent out his Dewott to begin the demonstration. Lane didn't need an invitation to send out his Pokémon as well. From the flash of light, a Gallade emerged onto the field.

The room was quiet and the two Pokémon were staring each other down with seriousness, as if trying to determine the other's motives without fighting. Justin checked to see if Brandon had left, but he stayed in the same spot, still watching intently.

"Now this set of cones represents a close quarter combat situation as you can see." The way the cones were lined up made the area feel tighter than it should. "When in a close quarter combat situation, a Pokémon that is primarily a physical attacker has the advantage and ranged attackers suffer from the lack of breathing area. When you face an opponent in this kind of situation, it's best to maintain offensive pressure and to not let the opponent gain any footing for even a moment because close quarter match ups are generally the fastest of the bunch and a single mistake can put you in a pinch should your opponent be a long-range attacker."

"If both Pokémon are primarily physical attackers, this makes the matchups harder to decide and it'll come down to who makes the best decisions in a moment's notice. Lane, please order your Gallade to attack once I give my Dewott its orders." The white-haired boy nodded and Justin called for a Razor Shell.

"Gallade use Leaf Blade!" The Gallade's elbows extended and the two attacks struck, a vicious light sparked from the clash and the two of them backed off.

"As you can see, when in a tight combat situation like this, where going head to head is the only option, the playing field is relatively even unless one Pokémon has the type advantage. You can use ranged moves when you're in a pinch to help get some air if you're being pushed into a corner." He paused and took a breath. "That was a good bit of information for such a short time, so does anyone have any questions or is anyone confused?" Justin looked around and then he spotted that Lane's hand went up. "Yeah Lane?"

"I'm confused about one thing… you said you use this system when you battle right? Also, you said that if you establish it in the match, you basically control the flow of the match, correct?"

"Yeah that's right." Justin had a feeling that something bad was going to happen…

"If this is supposed to keep the odds in your favor," Lane continued, "then why did Del Grove beat you a few weeks back?" Justin thought back to the match he had with Carlos and how bad he got destroyed by one of his best friends. It boiled all sorts of emotions within Justin. Regret, nervousness, sorrow, but the one that stood out above the rest… anger.

"What does that have to do with anything Lane?" He asked, trying to restrain the anger that was welling up inside of him.

"I think it has everything to do with it. If you say that this tactic works, and then you lose, how is that supposed to convince anyone?" Justin felt more spite coming into him and clenched his teeth. He had no idea how much that single loss affected him.

"S-Sometimes, plans don't always work out…"

"So what went wrong then? Did you slip up or did you get scared?" When lane mentioned scared, it nearly made Justin grind his teeth down to nubs. He hated the feeling of helplessness that ran over him when he was under pressure and it was starting to come back over him when he started to think about it. Justin wanted to take his anger out on something, but he wasn't going to let everyone see him breakdown. "I don't want to offend you, but… what good is a teacher that can't find success with their own methods?" Justin clenched his fists and breathed heavily, it felt like his heart was beating a mile a minute. Thoughts swirled his head and they were accompanied by voices telling him that he would make it nowhere in the academy.

"_You're worthless! A disgrace to your Pokémon!"_

_ "You will never amount to anything…"_

_ "Did you really expect that you would make it this far? No one will ever recognize you… you have no talent." _Justin saw in his mind the silhouettes of the people taunting him and behind them were the faces of his friends.

"**Help me you guys**!" They turned around and walked away, leaving Justin to withstand the chorus of insults being shot at him. He tried his hardest to become better, but maybe he was just in the academy out of sheer luck. Perhaps Scott took pity on him and decided to give him a chance. Truth be told, his battle with Carlos in front of all his peers… the way he failed his Pokémon during that battle… it haunted him. He wasn't mad at Carlos, he wasn't mad at anyone but himself. As a matter of fact, he wanted to thank his friend for opening his eyes to see his flaws. Behind the cool visage he hid behind, the black clothes and antisocial attitude he had seemed to be losing form meeting all these great people… he had fears that held him in place no matter what he tried to do. Justin relaxed himself and said quietly,

"Class dismissed…"

"J-Justin?" He recognized Kryztal's voice from within the group and said nothing, "What's wrong?"

"I said class dismissed!" He added force to his words to make sure they got the point. One by one, he heard them scuttle outside. Lane hadn't moved yet and said from across the field,

"You need to straighten yourself out before you can teach us." He recalled his Gallade and walked away.

"Lane!" He heard Alexia stop Lane, but Justin didn't feel like moving at the moment, "Why did you say those things? Don't you have any kind of sense for other's feelings?"

"Of course I do. I don't want to be the bad guy, but I'm talking about reality here… if he can't find it within himself to become stronger, then there's no way anyone is going to take him seriously and I apologize if I seem insensitive, but he has to know! If he doesn't figure it out… he'll never get anywhere." Lane walked off and Justin walked onto the field to start cleaning up the field. His Dewott tugged on his pants and looked at him with concern upon its face.

"I'll be fine buddy." He patted its head and returned it back into its ball.

"Justin…" Jaret came behind Justin and put a hand on his shoulder. "You don't have to put up with that." Justin gently removed Jaret's hand from his shoulder and continued to clean up. He was thankful for Jaret's support, but he couldn't form any kinds of words to thank him with all the confusion in his mind. Jaret left, but Justin hardly noticed. He finished picking up the cones and went into the shed to store them.

"Here's your key…" He handed the card key to a worried looking Brandon, but the professor said nothing to Justin as he walked in. Justin placed the cones down in the corner he had found them in and sat on a large pile of mats. He just sat there with the thoughts swimming around in his brain like some kind of mental fish tank. He heard some footsteps by the door and a knock. "Who are you?"

"It's Alexia." Justin remained silent for a while, but he finally told her to come inside his shed of shame. When she saw him, she took a seat next to him and looked at him for a long while with her golden eyes. Even in the shade of the shed, her golden hair and eyes still looked bright. "Lane shouldn't have sad those things to you… I don't know what's wrong with him, but he's too harsh… to think that he told you that you shouldn't teach…"

"He's right." Alexia gasped and looked at him with surprise.

"H-How could you agree with him? After all those horrible things he said…"

"What he said was true… I am scared." Admitting it out right didn't bother him anymore. Justin guessed that he was already miserable enough that adding a little more wouldn't hurt.

"Scared of what?"

"Of having to be in front of everyone when I do anything! I was scared when I battled Carlos and my Pokémon suffered because of it! I was even frightened when I had to teach you guys. I nearly broke down in front of everyone today just because I can't hold myself together… I don't deserve to be your tutor!"

"That's not true! You had the guts to keep going despite your fears… that takes more courage than anything." She had a point there.

"I-I just can't keep going after today… no one will look at me the same way anymore…"

"You're right…" Justin felt his remaining pride plummet and shatter when he heard that, "I won't look at you the same way anymore… I look to you with even higher respect than ever." Justin's eyes widened when she said that.

"W-What?"

"I'm telling you the truth. You've not only dealt with your fears by teaching us, but you've even admitted them to me… someone you hardly know… do you know how much courage and willpower that takes? You are no doubt one of the bravest people I've ever met Justin… and I will hold you in high regards because of it." The two of them were staring into each other's eyes for an extended period of time. No one had ever told him that he was brave before, not like how she did. They just kept looking at each other and Justin had a sudden impulse. He kept telling himself to kiss her, but he restrained himself, despite how appealing the thought was at the moment.

"Thanks for that… I think… I think I can keep going." Alexia smiled brightly and clasped her hands together.

"That's great!"

"But Lane is right… even if his words were harsh, they were still true… I have to do better!" Justin remembered that tomorrow was Saturday and that meant more training with Cynthia. He would have to learn to improve himself by tomorrow so that come Monday, he would be ready to start over again. "I have to go Alexia."

"Where to?"

"To my dorm, there's a lot I need to think about." Justin got up and started to run, "Thanks again!" He called back as he bolted out of the doors, anxious to get to sleep. He was going to need the rest for tomorrow if he was going to train.

"_What good is a teacher that can't find success with their own methods?" _Lane's words echoed in his head and he was determined to prove him-no- everyone who ever doubted him wrong…

**There's the chapter guys, I hope you enjoyed it! What kind of training is Justin going to put himself through? Hey, that sounds like a good Question of the Day! Leave your response in the reviews and N-Black will see you on Wednesday! **

**-N-Black, Out**


	23. Chapter 23

**N-Black is back with Pokemon Academy! Just wanted to tell you guys to check out the poll because your answers will determine the fate of the lemons in this story! As for the nest answer to the question of the day... it goes to white3y3! **

** "****I honestly think he is going to request that Cynthia and he practice his battle strategy so he can show it works to Lane and the others another time. I also believe he is going to request that they possibly battle in public so he could get experience battling in front of crowds." **

**White3y3 makes a good point... but exactly is Justin's plan to improve? Let's find out!**

** Chapter 23: A Return to Despair**

Justin made it to the main island at an early time with only a few other students there with him at the time. Today was the day he was going to overcome himself and he wasn't going to quit until he changed. He made off in the direction of the Pokemon Reserve after breathing in a few lungfuls of fresh morning air. He was going to need the oxygen in his system later on. Once he was set, he got into the enclosure and walked through the overgrowth to the safety fence. Once he was through the barrier, Justin retraced his steps to Cynthia's campsite. She wasn't going to be happy to get up so early, but he had to tell her what he was going to do.

The path looked familiar and he followed it through. The stream that ran through his teacher's camp had a layer of mist over it from the cool air. Justin was in the clearing and spotted Cynthia's tent. He pulled the opening flap open slowly and peeked in to see if she was inside. Cynthia was wrapped in a blanket and was still sleeping peacefully. Justin took in a big gulp of air and yelled,

"CYNTHIA! GET UP! I NEED TO TELL YOU SOMETHING!" His yell caused Cynthia to get up in shock and she ended up getting tangled in her blanket. Several bird Pokemon were flying away in fear of the loud noise he had caused while Cynthia was still struggling with her blanket. Justin could see her thrashing from underneath the covers, so he pulled the sheet off of her. Cynthia looked around with wide-eyes and finally looked at Justin. "Good morning." He said casually.

"What... the?" She was speaking in between breaths and her long golden hair was out of place. "What are you doing here so early?" Her tone was more shock than anger, but Justin guessed that the latter would come soon.

"I need to tell you something."

"It couldn't wait till later?" Her voice had a twinge of annoyance in it.

"Sorry that I bothered you, but it can't wait." Cynthia looked at him seriously.

"What do you need to tell me?" Justin recounted everything that happened since he last saw her. The cave under the school, the monster Tyranitar, and more importantly the tutoring. She sat and listened intently while she straightened out her bed head. He ended his story with the events from yesterday and Cynthia remained silent for a long while. "So..." She said finally. "You're going to do some training... what do you need me to do?" This was the part Justin was unsure of.

"I need you stay put of my way..." Cynthia didn't lash out at him, but instead she asked why.

"Why? You don't need my help with your training this time?"

"No it's not that... I need to do this alone Cynthia. I'll never be able to grow if I have to depend on others for all my training. I want... I want to get stronger by myself... it's the only way I can beat this stupid fear!"

"But just what exactly are you going to do?" Justin had trouble deciding if he was going to go through with what he had planned, but he had to do it... there wasn't anything else he could do. He leaned over to Cynthia's ear and whispered it to her. "WHAT!" She rose up and knocked the tent out from the ground despite the fact it was nailed to the ground. "No! Unacceptable! I will not let you put yourself in that kind of danger without my help!" Justin sighed. He knew this was going to happen,

"Cynthia I have to! I need to do this myself!"

"I am not going to let you do it! I refuse to just stand aside and let you go on! You don't have to do this! There has to be another, safer alternative than this ludicrous idea!"

"There isn't one!" Justin yelled loudly and silenced her. "I know the risks and I'm prepared to face the consequences if I fail..."

"That's the thing!" She grabbed his shoulders and shook him. "You can't fail because if you do..." Her manic look of worry dissolved and her face softened. "When I came here to this island... It was for the sake of sating my desire of studying ruins, but then... I met a boy... a stupid boy that wandered into the restricted zone of the reserve and was nearly smashed by a stampede of Golem. When I met you that day... I felt obligated to keep you safe from harm, that's why I offered to train you, so that you could defend yourself if the time came, but now..." Her voice shook slightly as she spoke.

"Now you're just going to throw it all away! I won't let that happen! Just stay here and train with me where it's safe... don't leave." Justin saw a single tear run down her face. Justin didn't want to put others through this same thing. That's why he didn't tell Carlos or Ethan what he was going to do and if Skyla or any of his other friends found out, he knew that they would tie him up so he couldn't leave.

"Cynthia please! This the way I've chosen to do this... I promise you that I'll be back and perfectly safe and sound. Just don't tell anyone else. I don't wan them to worry about me." Cynthia shook her head and looked Justin. Her eyes were red and puffy, but she spoke clearly.

"I expect to see you at the docks by no later than seven so that you can go home on time." Justin smiled and cheered in his mind. He felt his body move forward and he hugged his teacher unexpectedly.

"Thank you..." He let go of Cynthia and ran off towards the hill where the Golem nearly squashed him. Justin was glad that she accepted his actions, but was sorry that he had to put her through all that stress. He would find someway to make it up to her and to his Pokemon especially, but that would have to come later since he had to make it up to himself first. He climbed the steep surface where the Golem once stood and looked up. His goal was shrouded by a veil of morning mist, but he knew where it was.

For what felt like hours to his body, he climbed without stopping despite how tired he was. If he couldn't bring himself up to the place he chose to challenge himself, there was no way he was going to succeed. Every muscle in Justin's body ached from the trek up the cliff face. He was halfway up when the upward slope ended and the only way to go forward was to climb the rock face. Justin took another deep breath to replenish his now dwindling supply of oxygen. The air was getting thinner and he knew it was only going to get worse as he moved forward.

He grabbed a rock that was jutting out of the wall and got a good grip. With trepidation, he began to scale the cliff and tried his absolute hardest to not look down. The cold air was beginning to feel unbearable. His hands were sore from climbing, but Justin still pushed on. He reached for another rock and once he made contact, it fell from its spot and left Justin dangling by one hand. He groaned from the pain of having his whole body being supported by just his one arm. He managed to find a small crevice for his other hand to grab onto and sighed in relief.

Justin continued to climb and was careful to not grab onto any loose rocks on the way. He noticed a small ledge with a few bonsai trees growing from it. Justin shimmied over to the ledge and sank down onto the ground for a few minutes. Justin looked at the small tress with wonder. How anything could grow and thrive up here was beyond his understanding. A gust of cold wind whipped his face and pushed him slightly, but the tree next to him did not shake from the gale. The leaves rustled, but the thin trunk stood firm. Justin would have to be like that tree for his challenge, unshakeable, unmoving, and resilient. He got to his feet and scanned the rock face for somewhere to grip.

He found a suitable spot and started to climb again. He silently bid farewell to the small tree for he found a new degree of respect for the plants that grew on the mountain. Hopefully Justin could be as successful as the plant life. Justin looked up and through the mist; there was an outline of an edge. Justin smirked and climbed faster towards the edge. He crawled over the edge and fell onto the soft dirt with a smile. The trip was over and now the real challenge was ahead. Some sunlight poked through the mist and warmed Justin's cold skin. The layer of haze was disappearing and the blue sky was visible. Multiple gray clouds were in the distance to signal the start of autumn. Justin rose from the dirt and stretched out.

With the mist gone, his path was clear. Straight down from where he was standing was a slope. The slope was almost a vertical line and walking down would take too long. He was safe on the flat surface, but he had to go down. He was to close to his destination now. Justin took a few breaths in and out and stared down the slope. He ran down and before gravity would make him keep running, he fell into a high-speed slide. His surroundings whizzed by him in a blur. Justin's eyes were stinging from the cold wind of the slide down, but he still managed to see the sapling in front of him. He rolled horizontally and narrowly missed a heads-on collision with the young tree.

The slope ended up ahead and Justin closed his eyes and braced himself. He felt the feeling of weightlessness overtake him and relaxed. Justin opened his eyes to see where he was going to land. He locked onto a sizeable ledge and saw what was beneath it. There was nothing Justin could see. There was just darkness. He only had one chance of making it and the ledge was fast approaching. Justin reached out as far as he could and grabbed the very edge of the platform. Justin's arms were pushing their limit and he already felt his grip loosening. He pulled himself up as quickly as he could and managed to get the majority of his body onto the safe ledge.

Justin wanted to just lay there and take a nap, but he had to keep going if he was going to make it back by seven. Reluctantly, he pulled himself up and looked to where he should go next. He spotted a very narrow opening next to the ledge and proceeded to see if he could squeeze through. The passageway looked just wide enough and Justin managed to squirm inside the opening. Once he was through, he didn't move and listened very closely to his surroundings. There was nothing but silence for about two minutes, but Justin heard a familiar sound in the distance. He concentrated on finding out what was making the sound and tried to block any other kind of noise out. Another two minutes went by and Justin figured out what the distant noise was.

He smiled and ran through the passage, knowing exactly where to go. There was no doubt in his mind now, Justin was where he wanted to be and his final stopping point was just a little farther ahead. Justin heard the sound again, but it was so far off, anyone who didn't know what it was would never be able to know what it was. Justin would know that sound anywhere... the sound of water dropping into water. Light filled the exit to the cavern and Justin slowed down. He was outside now in a grassy area. Justin had to be cautious here, so he went behind a mossy boulder and crept around till he came to a fallen tree. The area around the tree was scorched, but Justin didn't care. He climbed over the fallen tree and walked towards the crater in the middle of the clearing and sent out all his Pokemon. They stood ready for what was going to happen next. They all gathered near the crater's edge and found the hulking form of their opponent. Its tail flickered and it rose from the hole it was in. It bellowed a great roar that shook the trees and echoed throughout the mountain. Today... they were going to defeat the Tyranitar and capture it...

**He's back! Justin's training is going to be a battle with the Tyranitar! How will it go down? Find out next Tuesday! **

** Question of the Day: What Pokemon Type are you?**

** -N-Black, Out**


	24. Chapter 24

**N-Black is back with the battle against the Tyranitar! As I was skimming through the reviews, I noticed a rather recurrent theme… JUSTIN IS GOING TO DIEEEEEE! Well, before we venture into the battle, here is the best response to the question of the day from JoxhnXXIII!**

** "What Pokémon type am I? I'm a Psychic-type, more specifically attributed more towards a Gardevoir. I'm attuned to emotions and can sense them from others easily, although this comes with the drawback of being affected much more by said emotions. I'm more powerful mentally rather than physically. And I'm fiercely protective of my friends, family, and girlfriend as well."**

** Also here are the results of the poll! **

** Yes! Of course I want Lemons! : 5**

** The story is fine either way: 1**

** Put the Lemons in a separate story: 0**

** Lemons are WAYYYYY too sour… so no: 0**

** The people have spoken and there shall be Lemony goodness or let Arceus strike me where I sit!**

** Chapter 24: the Hidden Tactician**

Justin stood in front of the giant Tyranitar and did his best to keep calm. He was afraid, of course he was! No sane person would be comfortable facing this beast, especially alone. His only comfort at the moment was the fact that his team was standing by him. Their opponent hadn't made any moves yet and was most likely waiting to see what he was going to do. Facing Tyranitar again wasn't his first choice, but it was the most effective and the least time consuming.

Justin looked down the Tyranitar from head-to-toe to try and find any soft spots in the armor, but there was nothing. The only visible damage on the armor was when Trent's Emboar crashed into it with a Flare Blitz. Justin had already thrown out the idea of fighting the Tyranitar conventionally. Its sheer size and raw power made it impossible for regular head-on attacks to harm it. Even Trent's Pokémon barely managed to hold it down.

Regular attacks wouldn't work; Justin would have to force it down another way. That was what made Justin try this insane idea in the first place. He didn't have the battle instincts of Nate and Trent and his Pokémon weren't as strong as Carlos's, but he had something that made up for all those downfalls… knowledge.

"Espeon, use Reflect." The red jewel on the Pokémon's forehead glowed and a blue barrier covered Justin and his team. The Tyranitar roared and brought a fist down onto the barrier only to have it bounce off. "Espeon, can you hold the barrier up?"

"_Depends on how angry Tyranitar gets! Whatever you have planned, you have to hurry!"_

Knowing was half the battle and Justin intended to learn all he could about Tyranitar in the time Espeon could keep him shielded. He had to analyze how it moved, how it behaved, how the surroundings could become a factor. Knowing was probably how he ended up beating Nate back in Aspertia as well. All the times they practiced together and all the times Justin lost, he picked apart each move and broke down what he could do better.

He would apply his strategies to them and the next time they battled, he would put them to work. Fail as he did, Justin didn't stop his process. Learning through losing… it made him better. All the strategies he made… they worked well, but what Lane told him made him lose all faith in the one thing that helped him find success. Lane said that the strategy didn't work so now Justin will re-test his methods against an opponent that demands him to.

Tyranitar pummeled the barrier continuously and Justin could see Espeon straining to keep it up. He had to find a weakness to exploit, but there wasn't anything obvious for him to spot. They were cornered in this small grove with not much room to run. Tyranitar's destructive power that could level this entire mountain was offset by its size. However, the area was so small that it mattered very little about its size. There had to be something he could find…

_"Justin!" _Espeon called out into his mind frantically. The Tyranitar brought a fist down and shattered the barrier. Espeon quickly ran back to safety at Justin's side. Their only protection was gone now, he had no options left… or did he? An idea popped into his mind from Espeon's telepathy. He could use it to their advantage.

"Espeon! Can you get into Tyranitar's head?"

_"You want me to read its thoughts? But that won't work! Even if we know what its thinking, we can't defend ourselves from it!" _

"Just trust me!" Espeon looked at the Tyranitar and her eyes glowed blue. The Tyranitar must've felt Espeon's presence in its mind as it shook its head at the feeling. "What's it thinking?"

_"It isn't a psychic type so it can't form words, but I can give you the feeling it has at the moment." _

"Do it!" Justin felt his mind empty and a tingling feeling ran through his head. Justin's mind was flooded with a feeling of rage and hate. It was so intense. This was what the Tyranitar was feeling then… if he could only know what it was angry about. The feeling washed out of his mind and Espeon fell to the ground, no doubt exhausted from using so much energy.

_"It's angry…" _he heard Espeon's faint voice in his mind once again. _"… At you." _Espeon layed on the ground unconscious and Justin returned her to her ball. She must not be used to using so much of psychic power yet. Justin turned his attention to the Tyranitar that was glaring at him menacingly. Why was it mad at him? It lashed its tail surprisingly quickly. The tail had to be as thick as a tree.

"Everyone duck!" He dropped down to the ground as did the rest of his Pokémon. The tail swipe missed them, but the rush of wind as it passed by was fierce. Justin looked up and saw it was charging a Hyper Beam. "Run!" Justin and his Pokémon got up and ran before the attack could strike them. They were behind a shrub when the attack struck the ground. A harsh explosion pierced the air and dust kicked up. Justin peered through the shrub to see the crater it made. A hole nearly as big as the one Tyranitar was in was there now.

Justin returned each of his Pokémon back to their balls except for Dewott. He couldn't afford to have one of them getting caught in an attack. If he could find out what made the Tyranitar so mad, it could possibly give him an edge.

"Maybe you should go back too buddy…" Justin was planning for Dewott to possibly fight, but it was pointless for him to try. He reached for Dewott's Pokéball, but it slipped from his hands. It rolled out into the open and Justin quickly went to retrieve it. Before Justin could place a hand on it, Tyranitar roared, louder than it ever had. It was looking at the Pokéball with anger and Justin realized what was making it angry.

Tyranitar had some kind of hatred for Pokéballs, but Justin didn't know why. He would need Espeon to find out, but she was exhausted from earlier. This was his one break, but there was no way he could capitalize on it without bringing Espeon out. Tyranitar growled and stepped out of the crater. It approached, the ground quaking with every step. Justin was on his own here, he had to figure out why Tyranitar hated Pokéballs quickly or else.

It came to a stop in front of him, but Justin didn't run away. If he moved now, it might attack, but then again, it could attack at any moment. So far all Tyranitar did was stare at the ball. The Pokéball glinted in the sunlight. The glare from the ball hit his eyes. Justin turned and looked the other way. Tyranitar's focus was on the ball so Justin began to crawl away slowly. Somehow he made it behind the shrub safely and called out Espeon.

_"Huh? I'm back out again? I'm too tired to fight!" _Justin put a hand over the Pokémon's mouth even though she was speaking through her mind.

"We haven't fought it yet." He whispered. "Look." The Pokémon turned her head and saw what the Tyranitar was doing. "I need to ask you one last favor."

_"You need me to find out why it's so interested in the ball?" _

"Bingo." Without another word, Espeon's eyes glowed blue again. Justin peered through the shrub and saw that Tyranitar was shaking its head from the uncomfortable feeling of the telepathic connection.

_"Oh, I see…" _

"What is it?"

_"This Tyranitar… it was abandoned here as a Larvitar. Its trainer was a student here at the academy a few years ago. The trainer left it here without telling it why and left the Pokéball with it. It grew on its own inside the mountain and eventually came out here and evolved into Tyranitar it seems. It spent a majority of its time as a Larvitar looking for its trainer, but never found it. It must be mad because of being abandoned and the fact that you're a trainer must bring back terrible memories for it."_

"So that's why it attacked us before. It hates Pokémon trainers." Justin was thinking of ways to exploit the hatred, but nothing was working. Everything he thought of wouldn't work. He had to think of something new to use instead of manipulating Tyranitar's hatred. Justin's mind was empty at first, but something was gnawing at him. He had something else other than battle tactics; it was something all his friends shared. Justin smiled at the birth of his new idea. There was a way he could defeat Tyranitar without even using a single attack.

_"You have a plan by the looks of it." _

"That I do and if it works, we won't have to fight!" Justin got up and ran out into the open. Tyranitar growled at him and bared its fangs. Before it could use any attacks, Justin called out his entire team. "Dewott, Espeon! Come on!" His other two Pokémon came out from behind the shrub. Dewott had its hands on its shells, ready to strike, but Justin had it relax. The Tyranitar looked them over with anger on its face, but did not strike. Justin picked up Dewott's Pokéball and held it up for Tyranitar to see.

"I know you don't like me because I'm a trainer. I know you hat trainers because of what yours did to you. I don't want to fight you Tyranitar and I want to tell you that not all trainers are bad, but you won't believe me if I told you that, so listen to my Pokémon instead! Listen to what they have to say and I hope that you can understand what I'm trying to get through to you."

Tyranitar had a one-sided view on what humans were like because of its past trainer, but if it could hear what most trainers were like to their Pokémon, maybe it could understand. Justin, like all his friends, cared deeply for his Pokémon. Even Silver did now ever since he was trapped underneath the mountain. Pokémon and humans working together… that was the ideal Pokémon Academy was based on. Justin stood behind his Pokémon as each of them spoke in Pokéspeak. He trusted his partners and they trusted him.

He had no idea what was being said or if Tyranitar was actually taking in what they were saying, but he stood patiently anyways. He crouched next to Espeon and whispered,

"How's it going?"

_"I'm not sure. Tyranitar is just sitting there listening, but I can't tell what it may be thinking." _Dewott was the last to speak and took the longest out of all of them. Justin asked Espeon to translate what was being said and she told him that Dewott was recounting events fro since he first found it on Undella Beach. Dewott finished and Tyranitar stood silently.

"What's happening now?" Justin asked Espeon.

_"Nothing yet." _Tyranitar let out a soft growl.

"Tar!" it exclaimed. Tyranitar was directing its speech towards Justin it seems.

"I-Is it talking to me?" Espeon nodded to confirm his suspicions.

_"It said that it wants you to give your story next. It was surprised to hear what everyone else said. This is it Justin. It's up to you now." _Justin cleared his throat and walked in front of his team. He had to find a good starting point so he decided to go with how he met each of his Pokémon.

"Okay… I guess I'll start with how I first met Dewott…" He talked for a long time, longer than he meant to. Justin talked about how met Dewott on the beach. It was still a baby Oshawott and was getting sucked in by the tide. He managed to pull it out of the water in time and since then the two of them were partners.

He met Scyther next. There was news that a strong Pokémon was attacking trainers who were trying to get to Flocessy Town so no one could travel safely. Nate and his family were out on vacation at the time so Trent wasn't there to help. Oshawott wanted to go after it, but Justin didn't want to see it get hurt, but it went on ahead anyways. Justin chased after it only to meet Scyther. Justin had no choice but to battle. Scyther was their strongest opponent yet and it took them a long time before they could finally defeat it. Officer Jenny came in the morning to pick up Scyther and have it transferred to the Safari Zone in Johto, but Justin protested.

He didn't want to see it go away even though it attacked other trainers. Justin knew that Scyther loved to battle and that he could train it well. After much pleading and convincing, Officer Jenny left Scyther in his care. Next came Gligar. He met Gligar on a trip to their relative's house in Opelucid City. Justin took his team out to train and that's when they saw Gligar. It was injured and couldn't fly so he took it on and nurtured it back to health. Despite the consistent kindness everyone showed it, Gligar was stubborn and didn't want their help.

Gligar tried to fly away and flew into a Galvantula nest. Justin managed to find it and Scyther and Dewott made quick work of the Galvantula and cut Gligar loose from the web. Gligar's been loyal to Justin, but still has its bout of stubbornness, but that's just how Gligar is. He explained how he met Eevee and Drilbur and sighed deeply. He was done talking and he felt relieved that Tyranitar listened to him this entire time. Justin waited for Tyranitar to do something. Its face was expressionless.

"Tar!" It roared.

"What did it say?"

"_It said that you're a good person." _Justin looked back to Tyranitar with a smile.

"So you understood everything?" Tyranitar nodded its head. Justin could scarcely believe it. He knew that Pokémon understood humans, but the amount of depth was astonishing. Pokémon were so mysterious… "You're old trainer… I'm sorry about him, but…we can take you in! Be a part of our team." Tyranitar looked them over with and nodded. Justin pulled out an empty Pokéball and threw it up. It landed on Tyranitar's head and opened up.

The flash of light encompassed it, but was dispelled at the last second. The ball fell and Justin caught it. Why didn't the capture work? Justin thought of all the possible reasons and figured that Tyranitar's previous trainer didn't release it properly. The Pokéball it was left in was most likely gone now. Justin sighed sadly. Tyranitar wouldn't be able to join him unless he found that ball and properly released it.

"Sorry Tyranitar, but I can't capture you unless I can find your old ball." He could see the disappointment in Tyranitar's eyes as he said that. "Someday we'll find it okay? In the meantime, I need to get down from here. Can you help?" Tyranitar snorted proudly and walked past them. "I think we should stand back." Justin and his Pokémon backed up a good distance and waited for Tyranitar to do whatever it was going to do. It roared and slammed its tail down in to the ground. A fissure opened up from where the tail struck and the mountain side broke off. Justin stood amazed by the sheer power of Tyranitar.

If he could capture Tyranitar, he would be unstoppable in battles. Justin returned his Pokémon and looked down at Tyranitar's handiwork. A slope was now existent from the tail strike and Tyranitar motioned for Justin to get on its back. Justin climbed up the spikes on Tyranitar's back and made sure he was on securely.

"Ready." They had a long way down and Justin didn't exactly know how they were going to go down. He felt like he was back at that amusement park, but this was entirely more dangerous and even more frightening. Without warning, Tyranitar began to slide down the slope and Justin felt the rush of the wind nearly pry him off Tyranitar's spike. He held on for dear life as the giant slid down the mountain. It felt just like that log flume, but there was dirt flying in his face instead of water, plus there was no restraints.

He opened his eyes and the wind stung them. The green blur that was the trees at the bottom of the cliff were getting steadily closer. Tyranitar jumped and now Justin saw the trees clearly. They stayed in the same place, but now they were approaching faster than before. Justin braced himself for the landing and they hit the ground. Clouds of dust rose from the third crater Tyranitar caused. Justin opened his eyes and pinched himself. He was alive still and he slowly climbed down Tyranitar's spikes. He hit the ground and the crunch of leaves on the forest floor filled his ears.

Several tress were smashed into bits from their landing and small forest Pokémon scurried away in fear of the sight. He looked up and saw that the cloud of dust was still rising. Someone was bound to notice that. Justin checked the time on his Xtransceiver and the time was 6:50. He had to get to the docks and fast lest Cynthia dies of a panic attack.

"I have to go Tyranitar! Thanks for the lift!" It roared and Justin wondered how it was going to get back into the mountain. Tyranitar approached the rock wall and smashed a hole in it and casually walked through. Justin sweat dropped and started to run out of the enclosure. He passed through the hole in the fence and was finally back into civilization. The docks were just a little farther ahead now…

He saw the ferry for Pokémon Academy was still docked so he must've been on time. He rounded the corner and stopped in front of the dock. He was trying to find Cynthia amongst the people and spotted blonde hair.

"Cynthia!" He yelled. The woman with blonde hair turned and took off her sunglasses.

"Justin! Everyone! He's here!" Everyone? Did she? There was a large group of people running at him and Justin stopped and immediately began to run the other way to avoid being stampeded by his friends. He was to slow unfortunately and they engulfed him.

"Justin we were so worried about bro!" Carlos held him in a headlock. Justin could barely breathe through his friends grip.

"Yeah, but it looks like you okay!" Ethan said casually.

"You should've told us that you were going to go do something so extreme! We would've gladly came and helped!" Jaret was here as well. Just who else was here? Justin's face was turning purple from the lack of air and Carlos released his headlock.

"Whoops! Sorry 'bout that!"

"Justin?" Roxanne's voice rang out from behind the guys. "What were you doing? You could've gotten hurt, or worse!"

"I-I'm fine." Elesa was behind Roxanne and stood next to her.

"Don't you know how worried we all were? Stupid." Justin scowled at her comment.

"She's right you know." Carmen was here too? "That was pretty stupid of you." She said with a smile. "Here I thought you were supposed to be smart." She said with a smile.

"Not you too!"

"Justin, Justin, Justin…" Even Trent? "You're either really brave or really dumb for doing that, but seeing as you came back okay, I'm guessing that you did well."

"Trent? Can someone explain why everyone is here?"

"That would be my job!" Cynthia said.

"I thought I told you not to tell anyone!"

"I didn't! Okay… I told them, but they came here by themselves looking for you. They're your friends Justin of course I need to tell them!"

"Okay… Let me explain everything then."

"Oh, about that… It isn't us you need to explain to… it's her." She pointed behind Justin and there stood Skyla. She was walking toward him maliciously, but Justin just stared at her. Skyla came to a stop in front of him.

"Skyla let me-" She silenced him with a slap to the face. His cheek stung and he looked back at her. "Guess I deserve that don't I?"

"Y-You jerk…" She began, "Leaving all of us here without telling us what you're going to do! You're so stupid! I don't know why I care about such a stupid person!"

"Skyla…" He said softly.

"You're so selfish! Don't you trust us? Don't you trust me?" A tear rolled down her cheek. She started to club his chest with her fists as she spoke. "Such an idiot! Why don't you care about how I feel?" Justin grabbed her hand and she tried to yank it loose. "Let me go you… you moron!" He used his freehand and held her cheek and wiped the tear off. She stopped trying to fight him and looked at him. He was going to do something he never did before. Justin let go of her hand and brought his face to Skyla's. Time stood still as he kissed her. He never would've even thought about doing this when he first met her, but now… now was the time to show her that he cared about her. He wasn't embarrassed anymore…it seemed like all he needed to do in to get rid of his ridiculous fear was kiss her like he should've a long time ago…

** That'll do it folks! Not only did he manage to befriend Tyranitar, but he finally, FINALLY kisses Skyla! He has conquered his fear once and for all, but this still isn't the end of his troubles. Other potential girls who have an interest in him… how will they react? How will this change anything with Lane and his students? **

** I won't be updating this next week since I'll be going on vacation, but this gives me the perfect time to issue the twenty-fifth chapter special! Yup that's right! If there are a hundred reviews by the time I get back next week, I'll write a super special awesome chapter for you guys with a surprise at the end… so review! Now to end it with the question of the day!**

** What will be the surprise if there is a twenty-fifth chapter special? **

** Leave your answer in the reviews and I'll see you later!**

** -N-Black, Out**


	25. Chapter 25

**N-Black is FINALLY back from his vacation and with a new chapter of Pokémon Academy! You guys have submitted a grand total of 100, count 'em, ONE HUNDRED REVIEWS! This is the greatest welcome back present you guys could've given me and it is just awesome to see my first fanfic get this kind of support! As promised, there will be a special surprise and let me tell you that the new Transformers ride at Universal Studios is just… wow. I could ride it all day and not get bored of it. As for the best response to the question of the day, it comes from darkmoonrise312!**

** "Let's see, Justin finally gets the balls to kiss the girl, you had a poll about adding lemons, and you say there's gonna be a special surprise. I wonder what it's gonna be? And now let me just say: lemonlemonlemonlemonmmmmmlemonsjuicylemons! Just for the hell of it."**

** Chapter 25: A Self-Reform**

The next week was agonizing for Justin. The news was everywhere that Skyla and him were an item. No one stopped bothering him about it especially Ben. He wanted to know all about Skyla, what she looked like, what her interests were, and he even wanted pictures. Justin managed to slip away by telling Ben that the girl's swim team was practicing and that bought him enough time to elude the eccentric man. Even the teachers were on him about it. Professor Juniper would often tease him about it whenever he wasn't paying attention. She would say, "Thinking about Skyla again Mr. Evoran?" It was even more awkward since she was in the same class with him too.

Justin managed to catch breaks up on his favorite thinking place: the roof. No one ever thought to look for him up there so he could escape from the rabble for a short time. Escaping on the roof was also the only time he could ever spend time with Skyla as well. The two of them were closer than ever before but Justin was still getting used to the fact that he was in a relationship. He was with a beautiful girl too. Justin thought that it might be difficult to keep his eyes off other girls, but he found that the only girl he could look at was Skyla.

Justin sat with her in the rooftop lounge and they looked into the darkening sky. Her blue eyes reflected the stars in the night sky. Sitting up here with her was the best part of his day without a doubt. They could talk about their day, relax with the comfort of the other's company, and do whatever really.

"It's beautiful tonight." Skyla said as she looked into the moon."

"Reminds me of the night in the amusement park." Justin thought back to the happy memories. The log flume, the changing room incident, the almost first kiss.

"We had so much fun that day! I still remember your expression on the log flume."

"O-Oh yeah… that." He looked away embarrassedly. Justin was completely afraid of the ride and was ashamed of it.

"Don't be so hard on yourself. You went on the ride even though you don't like heights didn't you?" Justin looked back to Skyla who was now looking at the moon. "You were brave that time and you were brave for going out there and fighting that Tyranitar… even though it was completely stupid." She turned her head slightly to reveal a playful smile.

"Don't forget that fighting the Tyranitar finally got me to kiss you." She chuckled lightly.

"I guess some stupid ideas do have payoffs." She leaned in close and whispered. "You know you weren't bad for a first timer."

"Really? I thought for sure I was going to hit your forehead or something when I tried. It didn't help that everyone else was there, but I was in the moment." Skyla edged closer to him.

"Why don't we go back to that moment, hm?" She moved first and locked her lips with his. He was brought back to the docks where they first kissed except this time there was more passion and aggression from Skyla. She pushed Justin onto his back and now she on top of him. Skyla didn't break contact on the way down. After a few more seconds, Skyla broke the kiss. Both of them were panting from the amount of time they went without any air. Skyla looked down at him and quickly kissed him on the lips multiple times with increased intensity.

"Wait… Hold… On." He said through the breaks in the kisses. Skyla stopped but her face was close to his and her eyes looked hungry.

"Why stop now?" She asked a little disappointed.

"Don't you think we're moving a tad too fast here?" Skyla got off of him and Justin returned to his regular position.

"I-I'm sorry. I just got-"

"Caught in the moment?" Justin finished for her. Skyla nodded and he embraced her. "It's all right but I think we should pace ourselves."

"You're right. I just love you and I wanted to show you how much I do. I didn't think about your feelings when I started."

"Don't worry about it. I know you love me and I know that you love me." Justin checked the time and saw that it was getting close to curfew. "We should get going. Are you going to go first?" They specified who was going to go down first that way they didn't arouse any suspicion.

"Not today. I want to look at the sky for a little longer."

"Okay then. Same time same place?"

"Definitely." They quickly kissed and Justin got into the elevator and the doors closed, shrouding Skyla from sight. He sighed with relief as he rode down to the first floor. There was no doubt about it. Skyla made a move on him, but Justin had no idea how to react to something like that. He had no experience with that kind of thing. Should he have just let it happen? Skyla did seem really down after he told her they were moving a bit fast, but it was true. They had only started dating a few days ago, but then again they pretty much were dating before then, it was just… scary for him.

"There's only one person I can trust to help me out with this…" Justin told himself. The elevator stopped at the ground floor and he walked to his dorm, thinking of Skyla the whole way back. Justin opened up the door to his room and meandered in.

"You're back!" Carlos announced from the other side of the room. He hopped up and met Justin by the edge of his bed. "What's wrong? You look like you've got a lot going on in your head."

"That would be correct…"

"Thinking about your tutoring?" Justin hadn't really been thinking too hard about that in the past few days, but it didn't matter at the moment.

"Nope."

"Classes?"

"No."

"What you're going to have for lunch tomorrow?"

"That's what you think about."

"Well if it isn't any of that, then what is it?" Justin took a deep breath before he spoke.

"It's about Skyla…" Carlos's expression went from neutral to concern.

"Oh… did… something happen?"

"You could say that…"

"You need to tell me what happened man. You can trust me."

"That's the reason I chose to tell you about this in the first place. You're the only one I know who I can trust with this." If he wanted advice of the sexual nature then he could've went to Lucy, but there was no way he was ever going to. It only crossed Justin's mind because it was an option. A terrible one, but an option none the less.

"So what did happen?"

"Well… I think that Skyla tried to make a move on me."

"You guys have kissed in the past. What does it matter?"

"No not that kind of move… she, uh… threw a pass at me." Justin could see the wheels turning in his friend's head.

"Oh. I see." A smile crept onto his face. "You." He pointed at him with a smirk. "You were about to score weren't you?" He put him in a headlock and jerked his head around playfully. "But you backed out of it because you didn't know what to do, right?"

"That's pretty much it" Justin said between jerks of his head. Carlos let go of him and sighed.

"Wow… my little buddy is growing up?" Carlos sniffled and wiped a fake tear off of his face.

"Enough of the playing around already! Help me!" Justin said desperately.

"To be honest with you my friend, I can't truly be too much help, but I'll do what I can. What's bothering you the most about this whole thing?"

"I'm not sure what's bothering me most... but I think that it's pretty much the suddenness."

"She got a little aggressive did she? Skyla does have fire…"

"You're getting off topic."

"Right sorry. Well, besides the suddenness. Now that you've had time to think about it, what is it that bothers you?" Justin pondered the subject a little bit. One of the big things was that if it ever did happen Justin would have no idea what to do and be stuck in some awkward position. But there was one other thing. They were underage and if someone caught them, there would be big consequences.

"I think what worries me most is that it's illegal." Carlos sat down in a chair and rolled his neck.

"That load of crap? Pfft! Please!"

"What do you mean?" Justin asked with annoyance. Was Carlos going to help him or not?

"You love her don't you?"

"What?" Justin answered confusedly.

"Clean your ears bro, I asked if you love Skyla! Come on!"

"O-Of course I do! What does this have to do with this whole situation?"

"Everything!" Carlos said loudly. "It doesn't matter that its "illegal" all sex is just showing how much you love someone and where's the crime in that?" Justin remained silent as his friend spoke. "I understand your fear in this bro and don't think I'm trying to pressure you into this. Don't force yourself or Skyla to do it if you don't think it's right, all I'm sayin' is that it's just another way to express your love, that's all!"

"If you aren't ready for it, then don't do it, but just keep in mind that you love that girl and that she's beautiful and that you are one lucky bastard to have Skyla be with you. That's all I have to say man. I hope I helped you out somehow, but I'm beat and we have Colress's class first thing tomorrow so I'm going to hit the sack." Carlos patted Justin's shoulder and slid into his bed.

"Where's Ethan?" Justin just noticed that his other friend was missing and that he just noticed right now.

"He had to help out with Brandon. Apparently he heard him not say his title in the hallway so now he has to mop the gym floor until Brandon can see himself in it. He should be back soon." Carlos yawned and a few seconds later he started to snore. Justin fell onto his bed and stared at the ceiling. He thought long and hard about what Carlos said to him. It was okay if they were both fine with it right? Justin threw the thoughts from his mind so he could try and sleep. There was no use in trying to think about it now…

**The next day during tutoring**

Justin idly fiddled with a pencil as his students worked on their assignments. They were having quiet conversations about their days rather than working. Kryztal kept trying to get Roy's attention, Jamie was busy reading with earphones in her ears, Jesse was stuck on some problems, and Lane hadn't even touched his paper and was lying back, apparently snoozing. Alexia was the only one actually working, but Justin didn't yell at the others. He had too much on his mind.

"Finished!" Alexia said as she walked over to where Justin was sitting.

"Okay…" He lazily grabbed her paper and put it down on the desk without looking to see if she did any work.

"Um, Justin?"

"Yes?" He returned himself to fiddling with the pencil and didn't make eye contact.

"You seem… a little distracted."

"I'm fine Alexia. I'll check your work later okay?"

"A-Alright then…" She walked back to her seat and Justin looked at her paper. He dreaded having to grade her work since it was so intricate and complex looking. There were questions that only required one sentence answers, but she wrote paragraphs instead. Justin didn't bother actually reading everything since all of her work was always right.

"Excuse me!" Kryztal said.

"What is it?" He answered without enthusiasm.

"I need help with something." Justin groaned as he got up. He didn't want to do anything, but sit and think. He got to her desk and looked at her work and saw the page had a few faded doodles on it from where she previously erased them. Other than that, there was no work on the paper.

"There's no work on here Kryztal."

"That's because I don't know how to do it. You see, maybe if I had a few examples or if you did the first, oh I don't know five problems for me it could really help me out." She batted her eyes and smiled cutely, but Justin wasn't fooled.

"There are only five problems on here Kryztal." Her face filled with mock surprise and she facepalmed.

"Wow! I totally spaced out on that! Alright so don't do the five problems… but how about just three? Please Justin?" He looked at her seriously and said,

"No." She pouted and turned away to Roy.

"I told you it wasn't going to work…" Roy said to her quietly.

"Nothing's going to work if you be all pessimistic all the time!" Justin left the couple to it and returned to his desk. "Justin I really need help!"

"If you just need explanations, I can do that for you, but I won't do the work for you. It's a bad habit of yours Kryztal. You can't avoid what you don't like forever. One day you just have to face up to it!" Justin noticed out of the corner of his eye that Lane seemed to be paying more attention than before. "You can't grow as a person unless you face the challenges life sends your way. When there's a wall in front of you and you can't climb it, hell, break it down brick by brick until you can get to the other side!"

"Whatever it takes! If you let yourself be blocked by something, then it's your fault. This is what this whole tutoring thing is about. One of your classes has become a wall for you and what do you do walls?" He directed the question to Kryztal and she answered quickly.

"We climb them and if we can't then we break them down!"

"Exactly! I'll help each of you climb a little higher until you can overcome your walls, no matter what or how long it takes!" He fell into his chair after his little speech and an awkward silence fell over them. Justin had no idea where that came from at all, but he felt a ton better about himself right now. All his stress seemed to melt away and now he felt he was ready to really help these guys.

"So… about the worksheet…" Kryztal said.

"Oh right." Justin helped Kryztal and Roy understand the work for the rest of their allotted time. "That's a wrap guys. Turn in what you have." He stood by the door collecting papers from the students. Kryztal hastily tossed her paper into Justin's hands and ran out the door.

"Sorry about that." Roy said as he walked up and put his paper into Justin's hands. "She really wanted to get on her phone."

"She's usually on her phone all the time in class isn't she?"

"Yeah, but not after today anymore."

"Why not?"

"Even though she never thanked you for helping us out, she told she wasn't going to go on her phone after your speech. Kryztal can be a little scatterbrained sometimes, but just take it as her way of saying thanks."

"Alright then." The other four passed their papers to him. When Lane walked out of the room, Justin swore he saw him grinning slightly. Alexia and Jesse gave him their papers, but he noticed that Jamie was staying behind. "Jamie?" When she heard her name she approached with her paper.

"Here you go." She held her paper out for him to take, but he was curious as to why she hadn't left yet.

"Why were you staying behind the others?"

"Oh I wanted to tell you that your speech was exemplary."

"That means it was good right?" She chuckled at his question and nodded.

"I'm glad that you're our tutor. You really seem dedicated to helping us out and judging by what you said earlier, you're really going to do all you can to help. I've rambled a little long haven't I? I apologize for keeping you, it's just that I love having debates and talking about things, but I'm sure your busy so I'm going to take my leave." Jamie scurried out of the room and left Justin alone with even more to think about.

It seems like he's earned some more respect from his students with what he said. Even though Justin had no idea where the words came from, he knew they were from the heart. Those were the lessons he learned during his encounter with Tyranitar, but right now, he had a new wall to face and it awaited him on the roof…

The ride up the elevator was a little nerve-racking to Justin. He had no plan on what to say now so he would have to improvise and he sucked at improvising. The elevator chimed and the doors slid open to reveal the rooftop. At the edge by the safety rail was Skyla. She was looking towards him, but made no indication she was angry. Justin walked towards her, each step feeling like an hour. Before he could mentally prepare himself, he was in front of her.

"Hey…" Was all he could manage. Skyla gave him the death stare and he caved. "Okay I'm sorry I'm late, but I had to help the students out with their work and things ran a little late and I wasn't watching the time so it was really my fault and…" Justin noticed during his explanation that Skyla had started. "Did I do something funny?"

"You try ds o hard all the time and never give yourself a break! I understand that you're responsible for teaching others now, but you're always so hard on yourself."

"Well… I guess you're right. I never cut myself slack and I just keep beating myself up about it-"

"You're doing it again."

"Oh right, sorry..." She giggled and wrapped her arms around his shoulders.

"It's cute."

"It is?"

"You're cute in general. It's one of the reasons I really started to like you after you saved me right here." Justin looked closely and realized it was the same spot Skyla nearly fell from. "I fell for you… in more ways than one that day. I learned that under your dark persona that you put on, there's that sensitive side that cares about friends and family. Not to mention how fun it is to tease you Mr. Bad Boy."

"So you were teasing me for your own enjoyment the whole time? That's selfish of you."

"What can I say?" She leaned in close and dropped her voice to a whisper. "I want everything." She pulled him in close for a kiss, but he didn't struggle against it. Skyla became more passionate by the second and then she broke contact. "Oh I'm sorry?"

"Sorry about what?"

"I should ask you if you're ready before I get too excited." She looked away with a little disappointment. Justin looked at her face with remorse. This was his wall right now and he was either going to stare at it forever or do something about it.

"Skyla…" Justin pulled her close to him and she gasped in reply. He looked her in the eyes with seriousness and took a deep breath. "I love you and I… want to show you much I do…"

"What're you saying Justin?" There was tenderness in her eyes as she looked at him.

"I'm saying that I'm okay with it if you are."

"Really? I don't know about it now. You accepted it so fast I don't know what to do now…"

"So you don't want to do it?" All that tension, all that build up and it ended up killing the mood apparently.

"How's this for an answer?" She grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and locked lips with him once more. Skyla was more aggressive than before and her tongue fought for dominance over his. She abruptly broke contact and Justin found himself leaning slightly forward to continue the kiss.

"You teased me again!" She giggled happily, but Justin could tell she wanted to continue.

"I did, but the best has yet to come." She whispered into his ear.

**LEMONY GOODNESS INSIDE! IF YOU DON'T LIKE IT DON'T READ IT! (For all you awesome readers! You deserve it!)**

Skyla pulled him in close again and continued their fight for control of the kiss. Justin was prepared for it this time and fought back against her. A sudden slight pleasurable feeling came from between his legs and when he looked down he saw that Skyla was rubbing his crotch with her thigh. A jolt of pleasure shot through him and that allowed Skyla to gain control, but Justin wasn't going to be passive like he usually was. In a quick and bold move, Justin firmly grasped Skyla's ass with one hand and in response she moaned into their kiss.

She froze from the sudden move and Justin took over from there. Skyla made no attempt to fight back, but submitted easily to his control. Her moans were muffled by the kiss, but they grew more frequent. Justin broke contact as he needed to breathe. Both of them were gasping for air, but Skyla took the opportunity to bring Justin to the ground. He was on top of her and she looked to him with pleading eyes.

"I… can't hold back anymore… take me." Skyla was allowing him full control of the situation, but as he feared, he had no idea what to do now. Justin had to find something to fast that wouldn't bore Skyla. He looked at her jacket and moved without thinking. Justin unzipped her jacket to reveal her breasts. He was surprised to find that she wore no bra.

"N-No bra?" He asked entranced by her large breasts.

"It would get in the way if something like this happened so I didn't wear one today…" Justin smirked and licked his lips.

"So you were planning to try again today?"

"I-I can't answer that…" She turned away, the red blush upon her face darkened.

"Come on… won't you tell me?" He gently grasped her left breast and fondled it. Skyla whimpered at his touch, but didn't speak. "It's just a simple question." Justin was surprised by how soft they were.

"I-It's too embarrassing!" She said in between moans.

"Maybe you need more incentive…" Justin moved his hand to her other breast and pinched the erect nipple gently. Skyla arched her back and her moans increased in intensity. Justin gently tweaked her nipple and fondled her other breast.

"Ahhhh! Not my breasts anymore! Quit teasing me!"

"I won't stop until you answer me Skyla, besides…" He quit pinching her nipple and lowered his head to it instead. "There's something I've wanted to try." Justin encompassed Skyla's exposed nipple into his mouth and sucked on it gently. She went wild and moaned greatly at the sensation of him sucking her tit.

"Alright! Alright! I was planning to try and seduce you again today so stop teasing me and get down to business!" After he heard her answer, he released control over her breasts. Skyla panted softly as he rose upwards.

"**Am I really doing this?"** He thought to himself. "**Is it really going to happen?**" Justin had to admit he could hardly contain himself at the moment. They had gone this far already.

"Are you just going to stay there and look at me or are you going to fuck me?" She asked with a coy smile. Justin happily took the invitation and removed Skyla's shorts to reveal her sky blue lace panties. He pulled those off as well and noticed how wet she was.

"Wow. You're really wet down here Skyla." She looked away and blushed.

"Of course I am stupid! With all that teasing how could I not be?"

"Was I teasing you that long?"

"Well… no. It was just really good… That's why I made you stop otherwise I might've cum right there." Justin let it sink in. He managed to satisfy her quite well, but now he had to prepare for entry. He unzipped his pants to reveal his member to Skyla. The cold air of the rooftop slightly stimulating him. Skyla looked at it with wide-eyes and Justin looked at her with confusion.

"What is it?"

"It's big…" She said dreamily. Was it large? He considered it to be average size, but that comment gave him a slight self-esteem boost. Justin was about to plunge into her, but stopped. He knew that once he broke her hymen, she would be in pain and he wanted to let her suffer as short as possible. He grasped both of her tits and she immediately started to moan again. "Again… with… the… teasing?"

"If I didn't tease you, that would mean I don't love you. I want to make sure you always feel good and get all my attention." She didn't reply, but was instead moaning with pleasure from the feeling of his teasing.

"So good! ~" While she was busy with the pleasure, Justin lined himself up with her wet sex.

"Skyla… I'm going to put in now."

"Do it… please!" Justin's cock parted the wet lips of her opening until his tip was inside. It was so warm inside of her and he barely even entered. The more he pushed in, the hotter it got and the more Skyla moaned. It felt like his dick was going to melt off! He came to a stop and realized he reached her hymen.

"Are you ready Skyla?"

"Yes…" She pulled him in for a kiss as he prepared to thrust. This was it… they weren't going to be virgins anymore. With one quick thrust, he broke her hymen. Skyla cringed and groaned slightly and Justin didn't move for a few seconds knowing he may hurt her.

"Are you okay?" Justin asked after he broke the kiss. She panted slightly and smiled.

"Yes and I'm happy… happy that it's you who took my virginity." Justin smiled.

"Likewise Skyla." He started to move his hips and each thrust brought wave after wave of ecstasy for the both of them. Skyla was moaning louder than ever before. Her tight inner walls rubbed against his member and convulsed sending spasms of pleasure through him. Skyla began bucking her hips in time with his thrusts and was saying his name underneath her breath.

"Justin… Justin… Ah! ~" He flipped her over and she was on all fours. Justin admired her beautiful figure from this angle even more. Her well-toned ass jiggled when their hips met. "More! Fuck me more!" She moaned. Justin changed position again this time Skyla was sitting on his cock while she embraced him.

Justin never felt so good in his life. He felt the pleasure intensify from this position. Skyla looked at him in the eyes and the sight of her gorgeous face with such pleasure on it got him even more excited. Her supple breasts bounced as she bounced up and down. Justin placed his hands on her ass and brought her up and down desperate to increase their stimulation

"Oh! My body feels so good… are you sure this is your… first time Justin?"

"Of course it is! It feels so good inside of you!"

"You'll embarrass me if you say that!"

"Ugh! I'm close Skyla!" Justin felt the pressure in his groin grow and knew release was imminent.

"M-Me too! Cum inside of me! Fill me up!" Her dirty talk nearly made him explode right there. "It's alright if it's you Justin! I love you so much!"

"I love you too- urk!" He couldn't hold on anymore. "I-I'm cumming!" Skyla's walls clamped onto his throbbing cock and he fired like a rocket. Skyla arched her back and moaned erotically during her orgasm. Justin felt all of his lust and desire release as he came. After their euphoria subsided and the both of them settled down, Skyla rested her head on Justin's shoulders and wrapped her arms around his back.

"That…" She began.

"Was…" Justin said.

"Amazing!" They said at the same time. So he had done away with his virginity and he thought of no one better to lose it to than Skyla. Carlos was right. Sex is a way to show someone how much you love them.

"We should do this more often…" Skyla said tiredly.

"Try not to do it as much as you do tease me alright?" Justin said jokingly. She laughed and ran her hand through his hair slowly to tickle his scalp.

"I wouldn't count your eggs till they've hatched Justin…" Skyla said seductively. Well… it was worth a try…

**LEMON END XD**

A shiver ran down Lucy's spine as she sat in her office. Something didn't feel right… could it be? There was no way he would… he was too innocent to lose it already! Her plan had gone awry, she just knew it. But, there was still a silver lining… still a chance for her plan to work out in the end. All she had to do was entice him just a little bit and he would be begging for someone to give it to him. Lucy had to act swiftly for her plan to work, but soon the opportunity would arise… soon…

**Whew! There you have it! My first lemon EVER! I spent a good portion of last week planning the lemon so I hope you enjoyed it. Be sure to check out the forum as I have put a new story idea in it so check it out and tell me what you think. Legacy will be updated on Wednesday and Pokémon Academy the following Wednesday. I'm spacing out my updates for now as I am busy next week so just sit tight! That's it from me.**

** -N-Black, Out**


	26. Chapter 26

**N-Black is back with Pokémon Academy and I'm glad that you guys enjoyed the lemon last chapter considering it was my first. So… Justin got laid, but it seems that Lucy is plotting something especially devious… what are her real intentions? **

** Chapter 26: Hidden Feelings**

A day in Colress's classroom was like having a chess grater grind your brain own to dust for an hour. Justin dreaded stepping into what their professor called "The Sanctum of Learning" every day. Each lesson was harder and even though Alexia told him that he was doing well before, Justin was certain that his grade was crumbling like a crushed cracker. He took his seat next to Carlos and Ethan as usual.

"Good morning to you my students." Colress said. He had a smile that held in a touch of excitement. "You should all be relieved that we're going to take a minor field trip for today." Everyone in the class started to chatter excitedly, but Colress calmed them down. "Now, now… I know you can't contain your excitement; I can barely contain mine, but let me tell you where we are going. Does anyone know what keeps the academy running?"

The class murmured at the question. Justin truly had no idea what kept the island working. The facilities and technology couldn't be powered conventionally so what kept everything working? Justin thought that only Roxanne might be able to answer this being the walking encyclopedia of the island.

"No one? It doesn't surprise me truthfully. Very few know about the island's power source, but I have obtained special permission after persistently asking the headmaster to let me show you it. I don't want to spoil anything for you so I'll explain when we're there. Everyone stay together and form a neat line." The students gathered and Colress led the way out of the classroom.

"What do you think we're going to see?" Ethan asked.

"I have no clue what so ever, but it got us out of class so I won't complain." Justin replied. The class walked past all of the classrooms and to the maintenance section. The area had an ominous feeling to it. They came to a stop in front a regular looking door and Colress turned to look at them.

"Before we proceed let me make one thing clear. You are forbidden to touch anything past this door, understood? The technology is highly expensive and one mistake could knock out the islands power." Colress took a key card from his lab coat and scanned it. The door slid open and all Justin could see was empty darkness. "Follow me and be careful down the stairs." Everyone cautiously stepped forward and the stairwell lit up every few feet they traveled.

There was an elevator ahead, but they were stopped by two guards posted in front of it. Colress sowed the two guards some paperwork and they let them through.

"Enjoy your time down in the core." They said as they passed them. A group of ten students or so went at a time since the elevator was small. The third group left and Justin and the others prepared to leave. A tingle went down his spine as the elevator returned and opened. The last few students filed in and they descended down. From outside they could hear the squeaking of the cables and the rush of the wind hitting the elevator. The slowed down and came to complete stop within a minute. When the doors opened, a rush of cold air filled Justin's lungs.

"Geez it's cold down here!" Carlos said as he wrapped his arms around himself. Justin's teeth clacked together from the sudden chill as well. He noticed that everyone else was shivering and were huddling together for warmth, but Colress seemed just fine.

"I apologize for not telling you about the temperature earlier. This is a necessary part of the energy core however. Please follow me." Everyone tried to move as fast as they could to stay warm while they followed Colress.

"Psst, Justin!" He heard someone whisper from behind him.

"S-Skyla? What're you doing here?"

"Nothing, just wanted to be with you that's all."

"That's not what I meant. You don't have this class this period."

"Oh that! My professor let me out since I finished my work early so I decided to come visit you." She held his arm and kept close to him. Justin couldn't complain about it, but people would start to wonder why they were together at all times of the day.

"Alright class we're here! Behold the source of power of the island!" Colress stepped out of the way to reveal a large glass case that held a pale blue light. There was a series of "oohs" and "ahhs" at the sight of the ghostly light.

"Professor Colress!" Someone on the class said.

"Yes?"

"What is this power source?"

"This class is a geothermal reactor. Right now we are one thousand feet below sea level. This generator utilizes the planet's heat energy and turns it into power."

"But professor, if it's a geothermal reactor, why is it so cold?"

"Isn't it obvious? The generator creates lots of heat energy and if the facility wasn't cold like this, the rest of the technology would overheat and the personnel would be incapable of working under the conditions. By utilizing the vast natural energy below our island, the reactor can create and store enough energy to power the academy for a decade!"

"I-Impressive tech… damn cold…" Justin muttered as he tried to pay attention, but the cold was starting to get to him.

"Are you okay?" Skyla asked.

"I'm fine."

"Eh? You shouldn't lie to me you know! I can tell you're cold so just say so."

"Fine, I'm cold!" Skyla hugged him fully from behind and rested her head on his shoulder. "S-Skyla?"

"We can stay warm if we're close together right? Now we can listen to Professor Colress's explanation comfortably."

"R-Right…" Justin could hear mumbling behind him and he was certain it was about the girl latched onto him. He was trying his best to keep away from being the focus of gossip, but everything seemed to work against him.

"The generator is highly advanced and thanks to this technological achievement we can learn and live in comfort." Colress said. "Now then, we should g back to the classroom before the bell rings." The class began to file into the elevator.

"Feeling warm there Justin?" A girl said as she passed by the two of them. A small group of her friends giggled and disappeared into the elevator.

"They're just jealous cause they don't have you." Skyla said as they walked into the elevator.

"Yeah… I'm a lucky guy…"

**Elesa's POV **

"Where'd Skyla go? She was walking with us to class and then she disappeared!" Elesa said with worry.

"It's not like her to walk off on her own." Lyra said as she put away her Pokégear. Skyla's been distracted as of late. She's been missing assignments and she always spaced out whenever she was talked to. She would never say what was on her mind and go right back to zoning out.

"Well we have lunch next so we'll ask her then," Elesa said.

"There she is!" Lyra pointed down the corridor to see Ethan, Carlos, and Skyla with her arm wrapped around Justin. She smiled as they walked down and Elesa felt herself sadden. "She's with Justin as usual!"

"Yeah…"

"Elesa, Lyra!" Skyla ran over to them, dragging Justin along the way.

"Uh, hi Lyra, hi Elesa." Justin said.

"H-Hi…" Elesa replied sounding much more meek than usual.

"Skyla where'd you go? You just took off when we were walking."

"Uh, Lyra… could we talk about this later?" She said. Justin seemed to be confused as to what Lyra said.

"What? Oh!" Her friend had a sudden "aha!" look and stopped talking. "Well should we get going? I heard there's Pecha Berry smoothies today!"

"R-Really?" Carlos jumped in with an astounded look and took off in the other direction like a bullet. "I'm there!"

"Okay then… Ethan!"

"Y-Yes?"

"Could you be a dear and escort me to the lunch room?"

"Of course…" He clasped Lyra's hand and the two of them started to walk away. That left the three of them just standing around awkwardly in the middle of the hallway.

"We should get lunch too. I want to try one of those smoothies." Justin said calmly.

"Yeah let's go! Elesa you want to come too?" Skyla asked as she kept her arm around Justin.

"I'll go later…"

"You sure?" Justin asked.

"I-I'm positive…"

"Okay… I'll see you in the dorm then." Skyla dragged Justin off and she was left alone feeling worse than before.

"**Dang it!**" It felt like her heart just crashed into tiny pieces. Seeing the two of them being so close was supposed to make her happy, after all her best friend Skyla was so happy so she should be too, right? What was the big deal anyways? Lyra was in a relationship with Ethan and it didn't bother her one bit, but why did Skyla being with Justin make her all antsy?

"Feeling jealous are we?" Elesa whipped around to see Miss Lucy standing behind her smiling.

"Oh Miss Lucy… you scared me."

"Sorry, but I couldn't help but notice how worried you look. You feel it don't you? The feeling of wanting something you know you can't have." She said while grinning.

"W-What're you implying Miss Lucy?"

"You know what I mean. It's obvious you want Justin. It's in the way you act, your body language my dear."

"I don't want anything to do with him! That's Skyla' boyfriend and I'm not even attracted to him!" Elesa said defiantly.

"Then why are you agitated when you see the two of them together?" Elesa fished for a comeback, but she found no counterargument. "See? You have nothing to say to that do you?"

"That's not true!"

"Stop lying to yourself Elesa and just speak the truth… you want him for yourself and the fact that he's in a relationship with your best friend makes it even more exciting for you to fantasize about." Elesa didn't want to admit it out loud, but she knew it was true. Miss Lucy started to chuckle. "You had your chance to get him for yourself, but your good nature stopped you from coming between your best friend and him."

"Miss Lucy…"

"You don't want to hurt your friend's feelings, but you only have three options left. You can either confess how you really feel or you could continue living watching in pain as they get closer and closer…"

"W-What's the third option?"

"You steal him from her. It is the most drastic of the three, but it's an option nonetheless."

"Miss Lucy… I have a question for you."

"What is it my dear?"

"You gave me that berry juice that day on the beach and now you're giving me more ideas on how I can deal with these feelings, but why are you trying to seduce him yourself?" She remained silent for a long while and sighed.

"I can't tell you that Elesa, but I will tell you this… if you don't do anything… I will…" Miss Lucy turned and left Elesa with even more questions floating in her mind than before. What was she up to? Elesa thought of seeing Skyla and Justin's faces smiling with each other's company. What exactly did Lucy mean by them getting closer…?

**Justin's POV **

Justin trudged to Lucy's office after lunch dreading having to sit through another torturous meeting. The message he received simply said,

"_My office, after lunch"_

_-Lucy_

It didn't sound too friendly and that was what made Justin worry. What did she have planned this time? He reached for the door handle and took a deep breath. With one motion, opened the door and paused to see Lucy relaxing in her chair, waiting for him to step inside with a smile. He closed the door behind him and walked to his chair hesitant to show her any signs of fear. He took his seat and looked Lucy in the eyes.

"Why did you call me over so suddenly Miss Lucy?" She didn't reply but looked him over with her crimson eyes for a few seconds and sighed.

"It's true isn't it?"

"W-What is?"

"You're not a virgin anymore are you?" How did she know that? Justin kept himself from instantly giving away his secret and remained cool.

"What're you talking about?"

"So you want to play that game then? Very well…" She chuckled. "How about I tell you all the things I would let you do to me if you let me have you? Would you feel aroused?" Justin stopped thinking for a moment. This wasn't something Lucy usually did. "You look confused. Perhaps you're not at that stage where you enjoy dirty talk just yet so what if I just acted more directly? Would that get you going?"

"Really Miss Lucy, I don't know what you're talking about-" Justin stopped talking when he felt something touch his no-no zone.

"Oh!~ My, my, my! You're as stiff as a board!" Justin turned his head in embarrassment. "Don't feel ashamed Justin, it's only natural that your body reacts this way. No matter what you say, you can't hide the fact that you aren't innocent anymore. It's easy to tell by the way you act now. You're growing up as does everyone. I should warn you though that now that you've had a taste of what it's like, you'll find it harder to resist your urges than before and if you ever find yourself in need of some relief… you can always ask me for help."

"Okay then! I'll just be leaving then, thanks for the offer, but I've got to go!" Justin walked out of the room quickly and held his breath until he was fully out of the room. He exhaled and made a Beedrill line for the elevator. How did Lucy know that he and Skyla…actually he didn't want to know. What made him worried was how direct she was and the fact that he actually got aroused by her behavior. What if she was right and he couldn't hold himself together? The thought sent chills down his spine. He would have to find some way to keep himself from doing anything he would regret…

** There it is guys. A relatively slow chapter, but will lead up to some key events in the romance. As for the question of the day, I decided on doing a Q&A! Feel free on asking me anything, but try not to ask something too freaky. I'll be responding to your questions in the author's notes when I update on Thursday next week! Please remember to look at the new story idea in the forum and tell me what you think! Look forward to Legacy and remember to review! See you later! **

**-N-Black, Out**


	27. Chapter 27

**N-Black is back with Pokemon Academy and some answers from the Q&A last week! **

** Rexis19: It's quite possible. You'll be seeing what the students are capable of in the near future**

** Thetimewalker2237: My favorite character so far... hard to say as I enjoy writing about all of them but I'll have to go with Skyla. She cares about her friends, she's talented in battle, and she's Justin's girlfriend. **

** ShirosakiEspada0: Why? If I told you, it would ruin the diabolical plan I have concocted unfortunately...**

** Chapter 27: Hunter and the Prey **

Carmen tossed and turned in her bed. She was restless ever since she saw him again. Hunter... why had he returned for her? What was worse was that now she dragged Justin and the others into this. Hopefully he hadn't told anyone about him. Why now of all times? She wanted space, but now she realized that he was losing his patience. She would have to work quickly now, but Carmen wasn't able to find it the last time she went. She hadn't predicted a Tyranitar would be there guarding the place.

Carmen needed help. Someone she could trust to help her. She had no choice. Justin was her only viable option now. If she played her cards right, she could obtain the gem and keep the others safe. There was no reason for her to rope the rest of them into her situation now. When she thought of the consequences her actions might have on them, it would make her heart ache. The feeling of loss... it was something she wasn't accustomed to. Justin trusted her and tried to get close to her despite her attempts to shrug him off. She didn't want to feel that pain... that terrible pain...

Justin walked quickly down the hall to get to his tutoring session. He was running late since Skyla held him back on the roof longer than he wanted. He wasn't going to go into detail about why he was late, but he barely managed to escape with his clothes on. He saw his six peers waiting outside of the room.

"Sorry I'm late!"

"About time you got here!" Justin stopped when he heard Carlos's voice amongst his students.

"Carlos? You're here?"

"As am I." Roxanne stepped out from behind his tall friend with a small smile.

"Why are you guys here?"

"I was curious as to who you were teaching so I decided to come check it out and I met up with Roxanne on the way here! Looks like there are some strong trainers in your little learning troupe here! You should let me battle some of them."

"Roxanne Stone?" Jamie said as she removed her ear buds. "Sister of the wealthy entrepreneur Steven Stone? My name is Jamie Andrews. I loved the speech you made a few weeks ago! It was very well written."

"T-Thank you. No one really praises my work..." Roxanne said nervously.

"You're so modest. Another very appealing factor about you!"

"Well, well who's this?" Carlos said. Justin could feel his friend putting on his charm. "You know me and Justin are friends with Roxanne here..."

"You are? Why didn't you say anything Justin?" Jamie said accusingly.

"I never really thought you'd be interested in whom my friends are..."

"Anyways." Carlos intervened. "Jamie was it? How about I tell you all the things I know about Roxanne over some dinner sometime, what do you say?"

"Isn't the answer obvious? Of course!" Jamie was literally jumping for joy

"Wait Carlos!" Roxanne said with shock. "Shouldn't you ask me about how I feel?"

"Don't worry I won't tell her any of the explicit things..." Carlos said nonchalantly.

"W-What kinds of things are you talking about?" Justin had to settle this before it got out of control. He had enough on his mind as it was.

"Look at the time Carlos! I really need to get this class started so I'm going to need you to go!"

"Ah, don't be such a buzzkill Justin! Fine, I'll go. See you later Jamie!"

"Wait Carlos! I need to know what kinds of explicit things you were talking about!" Roxanne chased after his hormonal friend and Justin was finally clear to begin his class.

"Let's head inside shall we?" Justin opened up the door and prepared everything busily while his students watched him. He straightened every little thing that he could while every one looked at him worriedly.

"Er, Justin?" Alexia said.

"Yes?" Justin was busy rearranging the pile of student work and didn't stop for a second.

"What's going on? Why are you so frantic?"

"Professor Juniper is coming to observe the lesson today so everything needs to be perfect. If I can't make a good impression, who knows what'll happen to me?"

"If you like I could help you with arranging the papers."

"Teacher's pet..." Lane muttered. Alexia huffed and went back to what she was doing.

"I'll be fine for now I just hope that everything goes well." Just as he finished his sentence, there was a knock at the door. Justin took a deep breath and his students gave him a few thumbs up. Justin made his way to the door and opened it. "Hello Professor Juniper..." Justin's heart sank as he saw who was at the door.

"Ah such a warm welcome!" Lucy said cheerfully as she walked into the classroom. She was accompanied by Elesa who was looking at him as he remained frozen to the spot.

"H-Hi Justin..." She said nervously, but he remained silent and glued to the spot. "Anyone there?" After trying to get his attention for a few seconds she huffed and walked past him, her face flustered. This couldn't be happening... there had to be some mistake.

"M-Miss Lucy?" Justin said as he recovered from his minor mind lapse.

"Yes?" She was sitting on his desk and running her fingers along the surface of the table slowly.

"May I ask what you're here for?"

"Why to check your progress for tutoring of course! I hope you're prepared."

"But Professor Juniper was supposed to come in."

"She was assigned a different task so I volunteered. Isn't it nice? Your inspector is a teacher you know well... and intimately..." Before she could make the atmosphere any weirder, Justin handed her a stack of the work to look for and set the others to work. Lucy sifted through the stack and she forced Justin to sit down at his desk practically so that he could be in close proximity to her.

"Miss Lucy, could I talk to Justin for a second?" Elesa said quietly.

"He's right here so go for it." She said as she put down the papers.

"No I meant privately." Lucy seemed to think about what she said and dismissed the two of them. Elesa led him outside the classroom and she sighed with relief.

"What is it Elesa why'd you drag me out here?"

"Do you..."

"Do I what?"

"Do you and Miss Lucy have a close relationship?"

"Well she is my counselor so I guess that she knows a few things about me..."

"That's not what I meant... I mean an intimate relationship." Justin had to let the information float around in his head for a second until he caught her meaning.

"N-No! Definitely not! Oh Arceus no! Not at all!" Justin said frantically.

"Really? Is that the truth?"

"Of course it is! I have Skyla now and nothing is going to get me to betray her like that. Not even some perverted counselor."

"I see... well there's something I want to tell you."

"What is it?" What was with all these questions and the strange shift in atmosphere all of a sudden?

"I know you like Skyla and all but I want you to know that I-" The door flew open suddenly and Justin jumped in response. Elesa wrapped herself around him in shock as Lucy came out.

"Your class seems alright Justin. Professor Oak should be pleased to hear this news. Come on Elesa."

"Elesa?"

"Yes?" She said dreamilwrapped herself around him in shock as Lucy came out.

"Your class seems alright Justin. Professor Oak should be pleased to hear this news. Come on Elesa."

"Elesa?"

"Yes?" She said dreamily.

"You can let go of me now."

"Oh right!" She quickly let go of him and walked off without saying anything.

"What was that all about?"

"No idea." Lucy said as she slowly walked toward him. "So... anything interesting happen out here?"

"No." He felt like a trapped Pokemon and Lucy looked eerily like a hungry Seviper.

"Well just remember that my door is always open if you need to... relieve yourself." She said with a chuckle as she walked off, swaying her hips ever so slightly. Justin returned back inside and finished the session with relief. Everyone was packing up to go, but Justin noticed that Jesse was staying behind. He was usually one of the first to leave. He waved by to everyone, but Jesse remained.

"Have a question for me?" Justin said as he took out one of his Pokeballs to polish it.

"Yes..." Jesse's stature made it awkward for Justin to talk to him like a teacher. He looked so much older than he really was. "Could you help me get over this shyness that I have?"

"I'm here to help. It's good that you want to take charge."

"I was kind of inspired by what you said a few days ago and when I saw your friend Carlos talking so confidently to people he hardly knew, it made me want to become more sociable."

"That's great!" Justin felt a sort of mutual feeling towards Jesse. His stage fright and Jesse's inherent shyness... they were similar. "Well I'll think of something to help you out, just give me some time."

"O-Okay!" Jesse said with a slight smile as he gathered his things and left the room. If Justin could get over his fear, than Jesse could get over his. "H-Hello..." He heard Jesse say as he left the room. Who did he say hi to?

"Justin." Carmen walked into the room and shut the door behind her quickly.

"Carmen? You just finished your tutoring too?"

"That's not why I'm here."

"Is something wrong?" Justin said with trepidation.

"We need to talk..."

**The cliffhanger! You probably already know what Carmen is going to talk about, but what I do want to know is what your favorite Pokemon is. That's the question of the day so leave your answer in the reviews or PM me and don't forget to review! Thanks for reading and I'll see you Saturday!**

** -N-Black, Out**


	28. Chapter 28

**N-Black is back with Pokémon Academy! As for the answer to the question of the day last week…**

** Rexis19: "A Gallade. A noble Pokemon that fights for justice and for things that are right, using his dual elbow blades he cuts down the evil in the world." **

** In case some you didn't know, ShirosakiEspada0 has made his own take of Pokémon Academy, so go on over and support his story!**

** Chapter 28: Silver Vs. Justin Part 2!**

"What do you want to talk to me about?" Carmen had an air of elusiveness around her. It was like she was wondering if someone was watching them. "Is everything okay?" Justin asked with concern.

"Uh, yeah! Yeah! Everything is just great it's just that I wanted to ask you something."

"Sure, but why do you look so worried?"

"Oh I have a paper due in one of my classes tomorrow and I'm not sure where I left it, but that's not the point. What matters is… do you remember when we were in that cave with the crystals?"

"How could I forget that?"

"Remember when I asked you about that strange looking gem? Did you happen to see it in there?" Something didn't seem right with Carmen. She wasn't acting like her usual self at all.

"No, now that you mention it… everything happened so fast that I don't really remember anything strange. Why do want something like that anyway?"

"Well… no particular reason really… It just really interests me."

"If you really want it that bad, I could go check the gems that Drilbur got me for it."

"No it's okay. Thanks for talking to me about it." The door opened suddenly and Justin saw Skyla come in smiling.

"Hi!" She said happily. "Hi Carmen! What're you doing here?"

"I had a question to ask Justin that's all. I've got to get going anyways. I have to find that paper…" Carmen walked out of the room while Justin remained seated at the desk.

"She sure is mysterious isn't she? Maybe that's why you liked her before."

"W-What're you saying?"

"Oh come on! You really don't think I didn't know you were into her?" She sat on his desk and moved her face close to his. "Maybe I should be a little more mysterious too."

"Is this really the time for this?" Justin said as he was being put into a corner by his girlfriend yet again.

"Ah don't be like that!" She said while frowning. "I'm trying to put some more excitement in our relationship you know? Don't you want to try something new?"

"Maybe some other time." He hated seeing her disappointed, but anyone could come through that door at any time and he didn't want to run the risk of anyone finding out. He heard someone running in the hallway and rose from his chair. "Who's outside?" Justin went to the door and opened it to reveal a tired looking Roy. "R-Roy? Why were you running?"

"You need to come with me quick!" He took off running and Justin and Skyla followed closely.

"What's going on?" Justin asked as they went through the hall.

"It's one of Silver's students! He's trying to pick a fight with Lane! The other people who Silver was tutoring went to go find him so you guys could stop it!" They came to a stop in the main hall and Justin saw the scene in front of him. Along with the rest of his students, there was a sleazy looking kid who resembled with a Raticate with bad dental work grimacing at Lane. The grimacing troublemaker had messy red hair and eyes that gave off the message, "I don't care." He wore baggy black cargo pants and red and yellow striped tank top.

"Oh look your tutor's here now Lane! Looks like you lucked your way out of a battle today didn't ya?"

"Back off Mitch. If he didn't show up I would've taken you on, but I'll let him deal with you instead."

"Lane! What the Arceus is going on here! If any of the staff saw this, we'd all be dead!" The silent white-haired boy shrugged and walked past him.

"Don't look at me. He's the one who started it." Justin would have to deal with Lane later as Silver was coming while being dragged by his students.

"Alright, alright! You guys dragged me here now what?"

"Mitch was trying to start a fight here in the hall!" A boy about Justin's height said. He had golden brown hair that was unkempt. He had sky blue eyes and wore a red baseball jacket with a yellow shirt, black shirts, and red trainers.

"Is that what you dragged me out here for Tom? If they have issues, it's better to let them solve it out through a battle."

"Take a little responsibility Silver." Justin said. Volcano Head glared at him and smirked.

"I should've known you were involved in this. Now I can see why Mitch wanted to take on that guy. He's probably taken on your annoyingness from hanging around you too often."

"Silver, try not to act like a little kid in front of your own students." Silver looked surprised for a second then his face flushed with embarrassment.

"Grr… you trying to start something?!" He said angrily.

"And what if he is?" Skyla said slyly.

"S-Skyla?" She put her hand over his mouth to keep him quiet.

"Then he better get ready for a battle! I still want to finish our match from the beginning of the year!" Silver's students were cheering him on, especially Mitch.

"Justin accepts your challenge." Justin attempted to refuse, but Skyla kept him muffled. "Let's make it interesting… whoever wins… gets a kiss from me!" Justin screamed his disapproval through her hand. What was she thinking!

"You're on! See you in the arena Evoran!" Silver said snidely as he and his students walked away. Skyla released her hand from his face and Justin screamed,

"NO! What're you thinking?" His girlfriend chuckled lightly.

"I told you I wanted excitement didn't I? What's more exciting than seeing my boyfriend face his rival for the girl he loves? Do your best!" She said as she went towards the arena.

"What's going on?" Justin said as rubbed his temples in stress. Lane came up next to him and whistled.

"That escalated quickly."

"Damn right it did!"

"Well, better go find a good seat for the battle." All of his students followed Lane to the arena and Justin figured he might as well go now than wait here. He came in front of the door to the arena and sighed as he pushed them open. Silver was already on the field and the students were all in the stands.

Justin looked at Silver and a horrific picture stirred in his mind. Silver was standing victorious over him while Skyla gave him a smooch on the cheek. Justin shook his head and felt himself growing more determined to beat Silver.

"Hey Silver! What do you say we let Croconaw and Dewott go at it again? I'm sure they want to finish their match from last time."

"I was thinking the same thing!" Silver tossed a Pokéball into the air and Croconaw emerged, ready for battle.

"Let's go Dewott!" The blue otter drew its shells and posed.

"One on one this time! Winner takes all! Croconaw use Water Gun!" A jet of water approached Dewott furiously.

"Dewott use Razor Shell and point it in the middle of the water!" His Pokémon did exactly so and the stream of water was divided into to two as it hit the shell. "Now charge!" As much as Justin wanted to win this to prevent Skyla from kissing his rival, it was also an opportunity for him to show his students his tactics.

Croconaw was slow, but powerful. Dewott was quick and agile which made getting into close quarters an advantage. As long as he could pressure Silver with close range attacks, he could make him panic. Dewott closed the gap of space the Water Gun made and was within range to attack.

"Dewott use Fury Cutter!" Dewott began an onslaught of slashes and cuts and made repeated strikes onto Croconaw as it howled in pain from the attack.

"Croconaw, use Slash!" The claws on Croconaw's hands extended and glowed bright as they were brought down.

"Dewott dodge it!" Dewott's close range pressure was stopped by the impending attack and now his partner was back in mid-range. Despite the attacks, Croconaw was still able to use a move. It's become stronger since last time…

"Use Bite!" Croconaw lunged forward with its large jaws opened wide. An idea popped into Justin's mind as he saw the attack approach.

"Dewott wait for my command!" The Pokémon remained where it stood as Justin waited for the right moment to act. Just a little bit closer. Croconaw was within range and Justin gave the order. "Use Water Pulse now!" The blue sphere of water grew in Dewott's palms and Croconaw came right into the attack. As its jaws closed, the sphere exploded and knocked Silver's Pokémon into the air. "Now Dewott! Jump up and use Razor Shell!"

Dewott leapt up into the air and met up with the dazed Croconaw and unleashed a flurry of slashes that were near invisible to the eye. Dewott landed calmly on the ground as Croconaw fell unconscious.

"Yes! We did it!" Justin said as he ran out in to the field to get Dewott. He could see his students cheering for him, even Jesse who was normally quiet was clapping and smiling. He gave them a thumbs up and high fived his Dewott. "Way to go pal! Take a rest." He returned Dewott into its ball and walked up to Silver who was attending to Croconaw. "Hey Croconaw." The Pokémon looked up to him curiously. "Nice fight! You're got tougher since last time."

"Croc!" It exclaimed as Silver stood back up after he made sure his Pokémon was alright.

"You too Silver, good fi-"

"I don't need your good sportsmanship." He said calmly. "You're still my rival, remember that. Until we fight again… you better not lose to anyone else! Now don't you have some prize to collect?" He returned his Pokémon and walked out of the arena without another word.

"What's wrong with that guy?" Justin said to himself as he heard someone running up behind him. He turned to see Skyla latch herself onto him in a hug.

"You won!"

"Did you have doubts?"

"Not at all! You are my boyfriend after all, so you can do anything!" She said as she continued to hug him.

"Uh, Skyla… everyone's looking at us." Justin peered over her shoulder to see some of the others looking at them with anticipation. Kryztal had her phone out and gave him a smile.

"Exciting isn't it? Which reminds me…" She said deviously. Without warning she dragged him into a kiss while everyone looked at them. It wasn't the first time people saw them kissing, but it was much different than before. He looked over to see what everyone was looking like. He saw Alexia trying to hide her blushing face, Jesse trying to avoid looking, Lane being indifferent, Roy trying to stop Kryztal who was giggling while no doubt recording the whole thing, and Jamie was hiding her face in a book. Skyla let go of the contact and smiled.

"How was that?"

"Amazing…" Justin said as he tried to recover from the lack of oxygen from when they had their lips locked. "Oh my…" Justin held his head and looked at his students.

"Aww! That was too short! People aren't going to get excited over this!" Kryztal said with disappointment.

"Was it too short? We can give the people what they want… right Justin?" Justin wanted anything other than having some kind of weird video of him circulating through the Academy. It was bad when they just got to together.

"N-No way! Kryztal delete that right away!"

"But everyone will have something to talk about!"

"That's exactly what I don't want!" As he tried to get to the girl's phone he was glad when he remembered how much fun he had despite the weird pedophile counselors and near death experiences with a giant Tyranitar, he was really glad to have met all the people he has till now. But for the time being he had to get that video off of Kryztal's phone. Maybe a week of no homework would change her mind…

**There you have it guys! A conclusion to Silver and Justin's battle on the first day! There'll be some more battles in the near future, especially with the tournament creeping up on them. For now Justin's got his hands tied trying to avoid a campus wide gossip attack, I want to know what you guys think Lucy's up to. What kind of ulterior motive does she have to all this seduction? Tell me in a review and I'll see you on Friday!**

** -N-Black, Out**


	29. Chapter 29

** N-Black is back with a new chapter of Pokemon Academy and summer vacation is officially over... School has started again so that means less time to write, but I'll get into that at the ending author's notes. The best response to the question of the day last week goes to...**

** Calamity Heart: "**As for your question: I think Lucy's just a tad bit miffed that someone's gotten in Justin's pants before she did and, aside from her rather obvious attempts to imitate the move Attract, she's making ample use of Nasty Plot, as well, in order to cage Justin in with her and either lock or force everyone else out. She could've been a Purrloin in another life. xD But the true reason behind it all? The source of her motivation to go to every length to have her way? I just think she's crazy. Or never grew out of her spoiled little girl phase and now it's mixing with dem feminine hormones. Either way, it's too funny!"

**FYI, ShirosakiEspada0 has changed his pen name to LDSAuthor2013 and is officially restarting Pokemon Academy! Send him an OC following his criteria and be sure to support him! He's a great author and a cool dude! As for the people wondering if I'm going to put in Mega Evolutions... It's a possibility...**

**Chapter 29: Tournaments and Torchics**

Justin frantically tried to finish his pile of homework inside of his room. The time he spent tutoring usually overlapped with his own study time and all of it was due tomorrow. Not to mention the report for the students that had to be given to Professor Oak. He barely managed to slice the work in half and it was already ten 'o' clock. Justin groaned as he put his pencil down with futility. He would be up late tonight trying to finish the remainder of this work.

Carlos and Ethan were free of work since they already finished theirs. They were busy throwing pillows at each other and hooting and hollering. Justin tried his best to block out the noise, but to no avail. He was swamped for the evening, but the weekend was on its way and hopefully he would be able to relax and unwind for a little bit.

Justin picked his pencil back up and went back to his worksheet on how the Pokemon Storage System worked. As he was going to fill in an answer, a stray pillow flew into the stack of papers he had on the desk and knocked them clean off. Some of the papers flew out of the window, but Justin didn't move as it happened.

He slowly turned his neck and looked evilly at his two goofball roommates. Both of them pointed at each other in accusatory fashion and Justin calmed himself. He sighed and began to pick up his scattered materials when he noticed that the papers for the tutoring evaluation were gone. They must have flown out of the window with some of the other papers.

"I'll be back." Justin said dryly as he walked out of the room. He was carefully walking around to avoid being spotted by any potential hall monitors and successfully got to the elevator. As he rode down, Justin rubbed his eyes. He was tired and worn down from the events of the past week. He hopped off the elevator and made his way outside. Justin had never seen the entire school at night before and was surprised by how dreary it was. He had slight paranoia when it came to certain things like being alone in creepy school lobbies.

Justin navigated his way through the bushes till he came up onto the boy's side of the school. He saw an opened window and heard the sounds of pillow based warfare raging on within and knew he was in the right place. He found his papers and they were in good condition with a few tears here and there from falling through the trees, but no real harm done. Now that his work was recollected, Justin could go back and finish the other half of Mt. Coronet sized homework he had left.

"Whoops!" Justin heard Carlos say from within the room and a few seconds after, Justin's backpack was tossed out of the window and landed into one of the nearby trees, but didn't fall down unfortunately. Justin groaned as he set down his papers under a rock to prevent them from flying off. "Sorry..." Carlos said shortly after the backpack toss.

Justin grabbed hold of a sturdy lower branch and carefully made his way up to retrieve his backpack. He saw it a little higher up and reached for a strap that was barely out of reach. He curled two fingers around the strap and unhooked it from the branch it was caught onto. Something else caught his eye though as he saw something he hadn't laid eyes on for a long time.

The Sharpedo tooth necklace that was stolen from him by a Murkrow was right behind where his backpack was, just a little further from his reach. Satisfaction coursed through him as he was about to claim what was rightfully his, but his hand froze halfway to the necklace. It seemed too perfect...

"Krow!" He heard from above his head and sure enough, the red eyes of the unlucky Murkrow were staring right at him. It flew around his head and jabbed with its beak, obviously peeved off that it couldn't get the satisfaction of re-stealing his necklace again.

"Ouch! Gah!" Justin yelped as it repeatedly pecked his head. He tried to swat it away, but forgot that he just let go of his only support on the tree. He fell off the branch he was standing on and hit pretty much every other branch on the way down. Justin landed with a dull thud on the ground and groaned in pain from the fall.

"Caw! Caw!" Screeched Murkrow. It must've been satisfied with the results it got this time. It flew away from the tree with the necklace in its beak while Justin just watched. He got up shakily and put his completed assignments in his backpack without looking to check if everything else was still inside and trudged back to his dorm. When he arrived back in his room, Justin found that Carlos and Ethan were both asleep. Pillows were all around the room and the sight of the fluffy cushions made him sleepy, but he slumped into his desk and kept on working. Maybe he would take a nap during lunch or something...

**A few hours into the night...**

Justin was having that nightmare again. It hadn't come up for a long while, but it was back and seemed even more real. It was the same thing as before. He ran helplessly until he tripped and was cornered by the monster. It reared its head with the glowing yellow eyes back and fierce chill surrounded the area around Justin. It opened its jaws and Justin tensed in preparation for its vicious roar. Justin could hear the air rush into its lungs as it...

"Chirp!"

Justin had his eyes closed for when it was about to roar, but all he heard was a small chirp. He looked forward and the beast's jaws were open, but where was the sound? It sucked in another breath of air and once again there was a small chirp. No intimidating roar just a plain old chirp. It seemed to be getting louder and Justin felt himself coming back to reality.

His eyes opened slowly as he checked the time. It was two 'o' in the morning. Justin fell asleep while he was working, but it looked like he managed to kill the stack of papers.

"Chirp!"

Justin heard the same chirp as in his dream. Ws he still asleep or was he just hearing things?

"Chirp!"

He wasn't dreaming as he soon found out. There was actually chirping going on. Justin got out of the chair and shut the window to block out whatever was chirping and slid into his bed. He sighed contentedly and pulled the covers over him. Some good R&R would do him just-

"Chirp!"

Justin's eyes snapped open. He closed the window, but something was still chirping? It was something inside? Was it someone's alarm or something? Justin continually heard the chirp sound as he tried to sleep and tried to block it out with his pillow, but finally gave up and tried to find out what it was that was making the noise.

The sound wasn't coming from his friends' Poke Gears so what was it? He walked past the table and heard it again, but this time much louder than before. Come to think of it, it was louder when he was at the table. Justin picked up his backpack to look under the table, but he felt something move inside of his bag. He never did check the contents of his bag earlier...

Justin opened up his bag and heard the chirp much more clearly and knew where it was coming from. He sat down on the die of his bed and pulled his bag down to reveal a baby Torchic. It looked scared and it only got more frightened when it saw Justin. It was shaking and looked rather thin. Its feathers were pale orange instead of bright orange and its feathers were dirty.

He reached for the Torchic, but it hopped out of his bag and hid under the table. Justin couldn't say he was surprised why it was running. He'd be scared to if he was trapped in a bag for several hours and then freed by some stranger who tried to grab you. Justin went under the table and was trying to coax the baby out of its hiding spot.

"C'mon. I won't hurt you."

"Tor..." It cried weakly. It didn't show any signs of moving. Justin huffed and thought of how the Torchic got into his bag in the first place. It had to have been when he was falling in the tree. The Torchic must've been in a nest in there.

"Your parents must be worried about you." He said calmly. Justin was too exhausted to go out now and put the Torchic in its nest so he would do it tomorrow after lunch. "You can stay the night here alright? I'm sorry for scaring you little guy. I'll get you back home tomorrow okay?" It simply looked at him with fear and he decided to leave it alone.

He set some food down in a small bowl by the table in case it was hungry and left his blanket down there for it to sleep on should it choose to do so. He lied down and looked at the small fire-type as it looked at him cautiously from under the table. Justin tried to put himself back to sleep as his mind worried about the Torchic. For the time being, he had to worry about school in about six hours...

Justin was awoken by Ethan in the morning. Sleeping at two 'o' clock in the morning when you have a ton of work to do during school isn't the best of plans. Justin slowly grabbed his clothes for the day and put them on even slower. Ethan zipped past him with his toothbrush in his mouth and mumbled something that sounded like,

"Why's that food out here?" Justin looked at the empty bowl of food and remembered that something crazy happened last night. There was something important, but he was still semi-conscious and couldn't recall exactly what happened.

"I don't know." Justin said through a lengthy yawn. "Or I don't remember actually."

"Whatever, let's get going! Carlos said there was going to be an announcement first period and he took off ahead of us." Ethan handed him his bag and he marched over to the door excitedly. "It's probably going to be something about the tournament. It's only two weeks away! I can't wait to see what the third and fourth years have got!" Ethan opened the door and it was that moment that Justin remembered what happened last night. He turned around and looked at the blanket on the floor and saw emerging from it, an orange blur. Torchic was out the door and Justin quickly followed.

"Wait Justin!" Ethan called as his friend started to run as well. Justin saw Torchic duck into the elevator with a few other unaware students. Justin rushed himself forward. It wouldn't be good if anyone knew that there was a wild Torchic on the loose.

"Hold the elevator for me guys!" Luckily they did and Justin and Ethan got inside successfully.

"Justin where's the fire man? What was that running out of our room earlie- umph!" Justin silenced his friend and pointed behind the guy next to him. There was an orange ball of fuzz there and Ethan nodded.

"Excuse me; I dropped my ID right there." Justin said to get the guy to move. He had his hands ready to snag as soon as he was put of the way. The guy moved out of the way and Justin made for Torchic. But it was quicker. It hopped onto his head and pecked furiously. "Frickin' ow!" There was panic on the elevator as Torchic hopped around from noggin' to noggin' pecking away. The door to the elevator opened up and Torchic hopped off and took off down the hall.

"Sorry guys!" Justin said as he and Ethan ran off as well.

"Why was there a Torchic in our room!?" Ethan said as they followed the orange ball of fuzz.

"Long story, but it's mostly you're guys' fault!" Torchic turned left sharply and went into the cafeteria. "Oh no..." Justin and Ethan busted through the doors to the cafeteria and Torchic didn't even try to play sly while it was running this time. It hopped onto tables and ran across people's food. There was a lot of screaming and food getting tossed up by Torchic's quick feet.

"Why won't it slow down?" Justin said as they exited the cafeteria and went into the bathroom. It was hopping into different stalls and around the sink. "Ethan lock the door!" Now they had the little guy cornered, it was just a matter of grabbing him. They missed numerous attempts and usually ended up banging against the stall and gruntin in pain.

"I think I got it! Argh!" Torchic pecked Ethan's head and ran in-between Justin's legs. "Look out! It's coming!" Justin opened up his backpack and snagged Torchic in mid-air. The Pokemon chirped as he zipped the bag closed.

"Just. Get. Inside!" He successfully captured the Torchic in his bag. "Oh Arceus..." He said as he panted.

"That was insane!" Ethan said as he slumped down on the floor. The two of them unlocked the bathroom door and walked out as Justin put his bag back on. "Remember that part when it came near my face? I was scared, but excited all at the same time!" Justin looked forward as his friend spoke and saw a group of astonished girls who were red in the face.

"You guys look like something happened?" He asked questioningly.

"He said it came near his face..." One whispered.

"Did you hear all that banging and the grunts?" Another asked.

"Wait a minute... what are you guys picturing here?" Justin asked worriedly.

"They're both so tired..." A third said.

"Oh no. No, no, no, no." Justin said as convincingly as he could. "What you think happened in there...yeah, no. That's a negative. I have a girlfriend just so you know."

"Riiiight." They all said sarcastically. The group of girls left and Justin put his head in his hands.

"What was that all about?" Ethan said with confusion.

"I thought you were done pretending to be naïve?"

"No really, what's wrong?" His friend was completely clueless after all.

"Nothing... everything is just great! Shall we get to the auditorium for that announcement?" They met up with Carlos on the way to the auditorium and Justin recapped all of what happened excluding the girls outside the bathroom. No one else needed to have their minds filled with strange thoughts.

The three of them found some seats in the middle of the group and waited eagerly for the announcement to start. Ethan said it was regarding the upper classmen tournament. What news could they be bringing? More and more students filed in and Justin saw Carlos wave hi and smile coolly to Jamie as she walked in. Professor Oak walked inside of the auditorium and everyone settled down in wait for the headmaster to speak.

"Students of Pokemon Academy. As you know, you are nearly done with the fall semester and that means that your final exams are approaching, as well as the traditional upper class tournament to see who will be competing in the Academy Tournament this year!" There was applause from mostly the upper classmen. "However, I have decided to do something new this year. I figured that your entire four years here at the academy are all important so I am officially creating a lower classmen tournament that will be starting mid-spring semester!"

At this announcement, everyone was clapping loudly. Justin, Ethan, and Carlos were all cheering happily at the astounding news. "Settle down please." Professor Oak was smiling as well; obviously happy from the great reaction he received. "This will be a new tradition starting this year alongside the upper classmen tourney. The rules will be the same and the students who perform the best will also be entered into the Academy Tournament!" There was more cheering at the announcement than previously.

"I know that you are all excited by these upcoming events and I have decided that today will be an official day off. Use this time to recharge yourself for next week as you prepare for the tournament and the exams. Keep studying hard students!" The professor left the podium and the audience cheered and as soon as Justin and the others were outside, they were already making plans for training.

"We have to start now guys! I know I'm aiming to go to go to the Academy Tournament." Carlos said.

"Make that two!" Ethan said.

"You know they say three's company!" Justin added. "We're all going to get into the Academy Tournament guys!" They talked excitedly, but Justin remembered something. "Oh crap!" Justin unzipped his backpack and out of it came an angry Torchic. Justin managed to restrain it this time, but it was still squawking angrily at him and thrashing about.

"Is that the Torchic you talked about?" Carlos asked.

"Yeah... it's more trouble than you think it might be. I'm going to go put it back in its nest. You guys want to come with?" The two of them agreed and they were off to the faithful tree where it all happened last night. Justin stuffed Torchic back inside his backpack and started to go up.

"You'll be back with your mom and dad you little rascal..." He got up to where he approximately fell off and secured himself. He opened the backpack and let Torchic poke its head out. It shook its ruffled feathers and looked at the tree sadly. "Here you go. Go back home."

"Torchic..." Its cry sounded... lonely.

"What's the matter? I'm sure your parents are worried about you. Go on, they're right... over there." He finished anti-climatically. He saw there was no nest or any kind of bramble anywhere for the small bird Pokemon. "You don't have a home... do you?" Torchic didn't respond, but Justin could tell. He sighed and climbed back down.

"You still got it with you?" Ethan asked.

"There's no nest up there. I think this little guy is all alone." Torchic didn't hop out of his backpack like before. It just stayed there and sulked.

"What're you going to do with it then?" Carlos asked.

"He's going to take care of it of course!" Skyla came through the bushes with Elesa smiling.

"S-Skyla and Elesa?!" Justin said with surprise. "What're you guys doing out here?"

"We saw you climbing the tree from back there and were wondering what you were up to. We heard the whole thing. You are going to look after it right? It's just a baby." She went over to his backpack and petted the Torchic's head softly.

"W-Well, I'm not sure. We aren't supposed to have wild Pokemon in the Academy... we almost lost him today!"

"You'll just have to take better care of it then won't you? How can you deny such a cute little Pokemon's needs?" Justin glared at the Torchic. Everything is cute till it pecks you in the face. "What do you think Elesa?"

"Well, I would take it in. I can't ignore a potentially lost Pokemon. It could get hurt out here by itself."

"Exactly my point!" The redhead said. "So take care of it! We'll be glad to help you!"

"W-We?" Elesa said with surprise. "I never said I would help..."

"C'mon Elesa! It's our jobs as women to learn how to become good mothers and what better opportunity is there than this?"

"M-Mothers?" Justin said fearfully. "Isn't that a little far?"

"Not the way we're going mister!" She said as she yanked his ear.

"What's that supposed to mean? Ow!"

"It's important that if you ever have a family, you know how to raise them well. This is perfect for that! Plus it'll be tough for you to keep up with your work if you have to keep your attention on Torchic all the time. I already have a schedule in mind." His girlfriend said as she released his ear.

"You're getting really into this..." Justin said with dread.

"Elesa and I will share time with you while you raise little Torchic here!"

"T-Take turns?" Elesa said.

"Uh-huh. He'll come by our dorm every night and bring Torchic with him and we'll take turns raising it okay?"

"This is doing a little much don't you think?" Justin asked with caution.

"You're the one who found it, so it's your responsibility to make sure its safe, well fed, and raised right! We'll start now! Elesa, you can have him first. We'll alternate every day."

"Skyla! What if he gets caught in our dorm?" Elesa seemed more opposed to it than he did.

"I'll take the blame, but try to be sneaky okay?"

"Guys... help!" Justin whispered, but he didn't notice that they were already long gone. Guess it couldn't be helped. He did feel somewhat responsible for Torchic's current position so it was only right, but having to go to their dorm every night? He'd get caught for sure.

"You guys go ahead! I'll get stuff for Torchic to eat. This'll be great!" Skyla took off the other way and left the Elesa and Justin alone.

"Guess there's no way out of it... once she gets her mind set, she just goes." Justin said.

"Yeah... I guess we should get going then..." Elesa said awkwardly.

"Y-Yeah..." The stuff he gets into... it feels like someone's pulling the strings from somewhere else sometimes...

**There you have it guys! Chapter 29 is done! There will be a 1****st**** and 2****nd**** year tournament and Justin finds a baby Torchic, but is then "persuaded" by Skyla to take care of it with her and Elesa. How will Justin and the others train for the upcoming tournament next semester and how will he survive this pseudo-parenting? Unfortunately, I may find myself having less time to write since I'm taking five advance placement courses this year so updates won't have assigned dates for a while. I'll try and get a chapter every week, but it'll be Hard to balance my time as a student, artist, and writer so bear with these next few weeks and I'll see what I can do. Thanks for understanding,**

**-N-Black, Out**


End file.
